Recent research has revealed another method of how artificial intelligence is being incorporated into the medical sector. This new technology could enhance the current methods of forecasting the probability of developing breast cancer.
AI for Breast Cancer
The research, released on Tuesday through a peer-reviewed journal called Radiology, discovered that AI algorithms were more effective than the traditional clinical risk model in forecasting a woman's likelihood of developing breast cancer within five years, according to CBS News.
These risk models, such as the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) clinical risk score, rely on patient information, such as age, family history, and self-reported data, to calculate the possibility of breast cancer.
According to Dr. Vignesh A. Arasu, who is a research scientist and practicing radiologist at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, clinical risk models require information from various sources that may not always be available or collected.
However, recent advancements in AI deep learning can help extract a multitude of mammographic features, ranging from hundreds to thousands.
A study was conducted where a large number of mammograms were examined and five AI algorithms were used to create risk scores for breast cancer over a period of five years. These scores were compared with each other and with the BCSC clinical risk score.
According to Arasu, all five AI algorithms exhibited superior performance in predicting breast cancer risk in the 0 to 5-year period compared to the BCSC risk model.
This indicates that AI is capable of identifying previously undetected cancers as well as specific breast tissue characteristics that can indicate the likelihood of future cancer development.
The use of AI in detecting cancer on mammograms is already being implemented by some institutions. However, this study shows that AI can also be used to quickly generate a patient's future risk score.
This personalized approach to cancer risk prediction can greatly benefit patients and provide precision medicine on a national level.
Read also: AI Decoder: Artificial Intelligence Translates Human Brain Activity Into Written Words
AI for Predicting Other Cancers
In addition to predicting breast cancer risk, AI can also assist radiologists in detecting cancers that may be missed by human observation alone.
This is particularly important for women with dense breast tissue, which can make it more difficult for traditional mammograms to accurately detect cancer.
Furthermore, the use of AI in healthcare has been shown to increase efficiency and reduce costs. By automating certain tasks such as image analysis and report generation, healthcare providers can save time and resources while still providing high-quality care.
However, there are also concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in healthcare. For example, some worry that relying too heavily on algorithms could lead to a dehumanization of medicine or exacerbate existing health disparities if certain populations are not adequately represented in training data sets.
Overall though, advances like those seen in this study demonstrate the enormous potential of AI technology when applied thoughtfully within clinical settings.
With continued research and development into these tools alongside careful consideration given to their implementation practices we could see significant improvements in both patient outcomes as well as overall population-level health over time
Related article: US Health Panel Recommends Starting Mammograms at 40 to Improve Breast Cancer Detection
