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Large language models and multimodal foundation models for precision oncology

npj Precision Oncology, vol. 8, pp. 72

Abstract

The technological progress in artificial intelligence (AI) has massively accelerated since 2022, with far-reaching implications for oncology and cancer research. Large language models (LLMs) now perform at human-level competency in text processing. Notably, both text and image processing networks are increasingly based on transformer neural networks. This convergence enables the development of multimodal AI models that take diverse types of data as an input simultaneously, marking a qualitative shift from specialized niche models which were prevalent in the 2010s. This editorial summarizes these developments, which are expected to impact precision oncology in the coming years.

Authors 4

  1. Universitätsklinikum Aachen

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany

  2. University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus · Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health · Technische Universität Dresden

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany

  3. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg · National Center for Tumor Diseases

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

    National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

  4. Jakob Nikolas Kather corresponding

    Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg · National Center for Tumor Diseases · University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus · Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health · Technische Universität Dresden

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany. jakob-nikolas.kather@alumni.dkfz.de

    Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. jakob-nikolas.kather@alumni.dkfz.de

    Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany. jakob-nikolas.kather@alumni.dkfz.de

    National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. jakob-nikolas.kather@alumni.dkfz.de

    Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

    Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

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References 30