Publications by authors named "Kate Lillard"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the use of a deep-learning classifier for categorizing desmoplastic reaction (DR) in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), aiming to improve the subjectivity of current semiquantitative evaluations.
  • A total of 222 ESCC cases were analyzed, with a classifier trained on 31 digitized slides, achieving a high accuracy with a Dice coefficient score of 0.81 during testing.
  • The results indicate that the deep-learning classifier for DR classification offers superior prognostic significance for disease-specific survival compared to manual classifications and traditional pathological factors like tumour depth and lymph node status.
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The categorisation of desmoplastic reaction (DR) present at the colorectal cancer (CRC) invasive front into mature, intermediate or immature type has been previously shown to have high prognostic significance. However, the lack of an objective and reproducible assessment methodology for the assessment of DR has been a major hurdle to its clinical translation. In this study, a deep learning algorithm was trained to automatically classify immature DR on haematoxylin and eosin digitised slides of stage II and III CRC cases ( = 41).

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Cellular subpopulations within the colorectal tumor microenvironment (TME) include CD3 and CD8 lymphocytes, CD68 and CD163 macrophages, and tumor buds (TBs), all of which have known prognostic significance in stage II colorectal cancer. However, the prognostic relevance of their spatial interactions remains unknown. Here, by applying automated image analysis and machine learning approaches, we evaluate the prognostic significance of these cellular subpopulations and their spatial interactions.

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The advent of whole-slide imaging in digital pathology has brought about the advancement of computer-aided examination of tissue via digital image analysis. Digitized slides can now be easily annotated and analyzed via a variety of algorithms. This study reviews the fundamentals of tissue image analysis and aims to provide pathologists with basic information regarding the features, applications, and general workflow of these new tools.

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Both immune profiling and tumor budding significantly correlate with colorectal cancer patient outcome but are traditionally reported independently. This study evaluated the association and interaction between lymphocytic infiltration and tumor budding, coregistered on a single slide, in order to determine a more precise prognostic algorithm for patients with stage II colorectal cancer. Multiplexed immunofluorescence and automated image analysis were used for the quantification of CD3CD8 T cells, and tumor buds (TBs), across whole slide images of three independent cohorts (training cohort: = 114, validation cohort 1: = 56, validation cohort 2: = 62).

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Bloom's syndrome (BS) is an autosomal recessive disorder that is invariably characterized by severe growth retardation and cancer predisposition. The Bloom's syndrome helicase (BLM), mutations of which lead to BS, localizes to promyelocytic leukemia protein bodies and to the nucleolus of the cell, the site of RNA polymerase I-mediated ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription. rRNA transcription is fundamental for ribosome biogenesis and therefore protein synthesis, cellular growth and proliferation; its inhibition limits cellular growth and proliferation as well as bodily growth.

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Germ cell tumors are neoplasms arising from pluripotent germ cells. In humans, these tumors occur in infants, children and young adults. The tumors display a wide range of histologic differentiation states which exhibit different clinical behaviors.

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