06:30, 25 February 2026
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
Scientists have come up with a new way to classify brain cancer in children, that is all down to the power of AI. AI is an understandably controversial topic, but one thing it does really well is process and categorise large amounts of complex information, and that is exactly what it is doing here.
‘Liquid biopsies’ are a way of classifying cancer by testing bodily fluids without the need for invasive procedures. Unfortunately, for pediatric brain cancer patients, the amount of the cancerous material available within these biopsies has previously made it difficult to classify, meaning they’ve had to rely on these older, more invasive methods for children.
In a collaborative effort between international children’s hospitals, a new algorithm has been created using artificial intelligence to sift through DNA in cerebrospinal fluid. In a benchmarking test, the algorithm had a 92% accuracy rate when identifying tumours.
The artificial intelligence programme was also able to tell if there was a new cancerous tumour or if there had been a relapse, and whether or not the cancer is responding to treatment, or if it was becoming more aggressive.
The programme is also opening up access to new information about brain cancers, especially in children, and how it manipulates its environment. This more detailed look at cancer and how it behaves allows a point of view that hasn’t been seen before, a zoomed in look at cancerous cells from discovery and through treatment, without subjecting children to invasive tests.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. A US-based organisation leading groundbreaking research into paediatric brain cancer while ensuring families never receive a bill for treatment, travel or accommodation. Learn more here.
Children with Cancer UK. A leading UK charity funding innovative childhood cancer research and supporting families from diagnosis through to recovery. Discover their work here.
The Kids' Cancer Project. An Australian charity backing bold, science-led research to develop safer, more effective and less invasive treatments for children with cancer. Find out more here.
