An Explainable AI Model for Predicting the Recurrence of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Thyroid carcinoma, a significant yet often controllable cancer, has seen a rise in cases, largely due to advancements in diagnostic methods. Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), which includes papillary and follicular varieties, is typically associated with a positive prognosis in academic circles. Nevertheless, there are still some individuals who may experience a recurrence. This study employs machine learning, particularly deep learning models, to predict the recurrence of DTC, with the goal of improving patient care through personalized treatment approaches. By analysing a dataset containing clinicopathological features of patients, the model achieved remarkable accuracy rates of 98% during training and 96% during testing. To improve the model's interpretability, we used techniques like LIME and Morris Sensitivity Analysis. These methods gave us valuable insights into how the model makes decisions. The results suggest that combining deep learning models with interpretability techniques can be extremely useful in quickly identifying the recurrence of thyroid cancer in patients. This can help in making informed therapeutic choices and customizing treatment approaches for individual patients.