Complex, image analysis derived big-data employed to stratify colorectal cancer patients

Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are grouped according to X-ray, clinical and pathology characteristics. Clinical staging predicts disease progression; higher stage correlates to a worse prognosis. However, while useful for groups it can be poor at predicting the outcome of an individual patient within the same stage. For example, stage II patients are considered cured after surgery, yet on average 30% die of CRC. It is imperative to identify these high-risk stage II patients in order to assess if further treatment could be beneficial to their overall survival.