AI Model crossNN Accurately Classifies 170+ Tumor Types Using Epigenetic Data
June 6, 2025
Researchers developed the crossNN AI model that classifies over 170 cancer types from DNA methylation data, achieving over 97% accuracy and enabling non-invasive diagnosis from liquid biopsies and tissue samples.
Key Details
- crossNN is a simple, explainable neural network AI trained on 8,000+ reference tumors and tested on 5,000+ tumors.
- Achieved 99.1% accuracy for brain tumor diagnosis; 97.8% accuracy across more than 170 tumor types from all organs.
- Uses DNA methylation profiles obtained from tissue or body fluids (e.g., cerebrospinal fluid), enabling some diagnoses to avoid surgical biopsies.
- Proven more accurate than previous AI solutions for tumor classification.
- The method is being prepared for clinical trials at all eight sites of the German Cancer Consortium.
- crossNN's workflow is fully explainable, meeting a key regulatory requirement for clinical adoption.
Why It Matters
crossNN demonstrates the potential of AI-driven, minimally invasive tumor diagnostics, which could complement imaging in cases where biopsy is too risky or impractical. Such models can improve diagnostic precision, reduce patient morbidity, and streamline selection of personalized treatments, impacting radiology workflows and multidisciplinary cancer care.