The study found two different types of changes inside cancer cells that had previously been treated as the same thing.
One type involved cells developing too many centrosomes, which help cells divide properly. The other involved centrosomes becoming unusually large.
Researchers discovered the two changes could appear in different parts of the same tumour and may play different roles in how cancers develop.
The team created an AI platform, called CenSegNet, to examine tumour samples with “unprecedented speed and precision”.
Centrosomes act as the cell’s organising centres, helping cells divide and maintain their structure. When they become abnormal, cells can build up genetic mistakes, which are commonly seen in cancer.
The researchers found tumours with higher numbers of enlarged centrosomes were more likely to have features linked to more aggressive disease.
These included higher tumour grade, cancer that had spread to nearby lymph nodes and certain genetic changes.
The study also found patients with fewer enlarged centrosomes in the centre of their tumours tended to have better overall survival.
