Deep Learning Provides a New Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Prognostic Biomarker for Recurrence Prediction in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

This study aims to use a deep learning method to develop a signature extract from preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to evaluate its ability as a non-invasive recurrence risk prognostic marker in patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Our study comprises a total of 185 patients with pathologically confirmed HGSOC. A total of 185 patients were randomly assigned in a 5:3:2 ratio to a training cohort (n = 92), validation cohort 1 (n = 56), and validation cohort 2 (n = 37). We built a new deep learning network from 3839 preoperative MRI images (T2-weighted images and diffusion-weighted images) to extract HGSOC prognostic indicators. Following that, a fusion model including clinical and deep learning features is developed to predict patients’ individual recurrence risk and 3-year recurrence likelihood. In the two validation cohorts, the consistency index of the fusion model was higher than both the deep learning model and the clinical feature model (0.752, 0.813 vs. 0.625, 0.600 vs. 0.505, 0.501). Among the three models, the fusion model had a higher AUC than either the deep learning model or the clinical model in validation cohorts 1 or 2 (AUC = was 0.986, 0.961 vs. 0.706, 0.676/0.506, 0.506). Using the DeLong method, the difference between them was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The Kaplan–Meier analysis distinguished two patient groups with high and low recurrence risk (p = 0.0008 and 0.0035, respectively). Deep learning may be a low-cost, non-invasive method for predicting risk for advanced HGSOC recurrence. Deep learning based on multi-sequence MRI serves as a prognostic biomarker for advanced HGSOC, which provides a preoperative model for predicting recurrence in HGSOC. Additionally, using the fusion model as a new prognostic analysis means that can use MRI data can be used without the need to follow-up the prognostic biomarker.