AI for More Precise Treatment of Head and Neck Tumors: BESTFIT Project Presented
The joint project BESTFIT was presented to the public for the first time at the kick-off meeting “AI-supported Precision Surgery in Oncology” (KIOn) organized by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) in Berlin. The aim of the collaborative project is to significantly improve therapy planning and treatment of head and neck tumors through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Together with project partners Fraunhofer MEVIS (Bremen) and the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University Medical Center Freiburg, the consortium is working on innovative solutions for more precise surgical and radiotherapeutic treatment.
Head and neck cancer is among the most common types of cancer worldwide. In Germany alone, approximately 20,000 people are diagnosed each year. Depending on tumor size, treatment typically involves a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. If the tumor can be removed with an adequate safety margin, additional chemotherapy can often be avoided. This makes precise and targeted treatment of malignant tissue particularly important.
This is where the BESTFIT project comes in: the researchers are developing an AI-based therapy concept that enables real-time tissue analysis directly during surgery. Within minutes, the system provides clinically relevant information, supporting the precise removal of the tumor while eliminating the need for time-consuming conventional frozen section analysis.
Another innovative aspect is the placement of markers at the resection margins of the removed tissue. These markers are visible in subsequent computed tomography scans and facilitate precise planning of the radiation field. AI is used to automatically detect these markers and accurately define the radiation area.
By combining intraoperative AI-based analysis with optimized radiotherapy planning, BESTFIT aims to reduce side effects and sustainably improve patients’ quality of life.
About BESTFIT
The BESTFIT project is part of the BMFTR initiative “AI-supported Precision Surgery in Oncology” (KIOn) and brings together expertise from research and clinical practice to translate innovative technologies into medical application.
