This week the University of Liverpool launched the Eye Cancer Artificial Intelligence Digital Bioresource (EYE-CAN-AID), an initiative to improve early detection of rare eye cancers.
The launch featured technology from Roche Diagnostics – a state-of-the-art, high-resolution scanner to analyse eye cancer cells and tissues. The VENTANA® DP 600 digital pathology slide scanner will play a vital role in providing high quality digital images of rare ocular (eye) tumours and their subsequent interpretation, ultimately benefiting patients by improving diagnosis and treatment pathways.
Eye cancers can affect many parts of the eye. They are rare, with ~1000 new cases every year in the UK. The death rate from the various types of eye cancer can be as high as 50%, or as low as 4%, but all eye cancers can potentially cause blindness, visual impairment and/or facial disfigurement. These negatively affect quality-of-life for the patients and their families. Therefore, it’s vital patients have access to improved treatments, and better ways to detect eye cancers, enabling earlier treatment.
EYE-CAN-AID builds on a unique eye cancer biobank, established 14 years ago, in association with the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre (LOOC) — one of only three UK specialist eye cancer centres – with others in Sheffield and London. EYE-CAN-AID aims to connect all 3 eye cancer centres across NHS England, integrating clinical, radiological, histological, and genetic data of consented patients. Using AI-driven analysis, researchers will develop better diagnostic tools, ensuring faster, more precise, and personalised treatments.
Professor Sarah Coupland, Director of the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Research Group (LOORG), has been at the forefront of eye cancer research for nearly two decades. She has championed AI-driven digital pathology in Liverpool, while working in collaboration with Roche over the past seven years through an Innovate UK project.
Professor Sarah Coupland said:
“By uniting clinicians, researchers, industry, and charities, we’re advancing our understanding of eye cancer, its causes, and treatments. At the heart of this progress are the patients—without them, the Biobank, the research, and even the concept of a digital biobank resource wouldn’t exist. It’s thanks to patients and their families that this work is possible.
“Today we also welcomed the support from Roche Diagnostics. This builds on the Memorandum of Understanding we signed with Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland last year and the digital pathology slide scanner will play a crucial role in EYE-CAN-AID’s infrastructure, enabling high-volume, high-quality scanning which will enhance patient care by enabling rapid and more accurate diagnoses.”
By incorporating Roche’s technology, the Centre will offer more tailored treatments, better prognoses, and improved patient experiences.
Luke Benko, International Business Leader, Digital Pathology at Roche Diagnostics (Tucson, USA), presented on the transformative potential of digital pathology.
He said:
“Overcoming adoption barriers is crucial in advancing cancer treatment. Digital pathology helps to enable faster and more accurate diagnosis, allowing for more precise and personalised treatments.
“Our collaboration with the University of Liverpool, Eye Cancer Artificial Intelligence Digital Bioresource, has created a first-of-its-kind digital repository for rare eye cancer. The goal is to provide an equitable and accessible resource to the scientific community, potentially improving disease treatment, enabling researchers and doctors worldwide to benefit and helping enhance patient care.”
The IT infrastructure of EYE-CAN-AID has been provided by ARO Tech (originally AIMES, a spin out company of the University of Liverpool). It engages with the NHS and provides Trusted Research Environments (TRE), with information security to highest levels for Liverpool and Merseyside Hospitals.
Jo Gumbs, CEO of Ocular Melanoma UK (OM-UK) was also present at the EYE-CAN-AID launch and spoke about the relevance of such a Bioresource for eye cancer patients and their relatives.
She said:
“Ocular Melanoma can have a devastating impact on the person diagnosed and their family as there is so much we don’t understand about this rare cancer.
“This multi-modal image database and bioresource for eye cancers is a precious national resource in the rapidly developing field of digitalised medicine. It will improve diagnosis and advance patient care as we urgently need more drug discovery research projects. It’s exciting times for our community.”
EYE-CAN-AID will offer reliable, and long-term storage of clinical images, cancer samples and linked data from rare eye cancers. These resources will link in a network of contributors and researchers to enable research and discovery. This will empower much needed research in:
- Understanding the causes of eye cancers
- Developing new biological ‘markers’ to predict which treatments will be effective
- Using AI to detect early signs of cancer in eye and radiology images
- Personalising eye cancer treatment.