An AI ‘doctor’ will assess the mammograms of thousands of British women in a real-time clinical trial aimed at improving early detection of breast cancer, Rishi Sunak will announce this week.
Speaking ahead of a global summit on artificial intelligence in South Korea, the Prime Minister said AI technology could help improve aspects of the British health service.
But they added that regulations needed to be introduced to ensure the technology worked to the benefit of humanity and not to its detriment.
Along with his South Korean counterpart, Sunak praised the collaboration between the NHS and Korean company Lunit on the use of AI to improve the speed and accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis as an example of the positive aspects of the new technology.
‘AI is changing the world around us. “It has the potential to help us cure diseases, fight climate change, revolutionize public services and improve lives,” they wrote in a joint article in The i.
Rishi Sunak has praised the collaboration between the NHS and Korean company Lunit on the use of AI to improve the speed and accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis.
The Prime Minister was speaking ahead of a global summit on artificial intelligence in South Korea.
Specifically mentioning the NHS/Lunit trial, they added: “We all know how vital early detection is, so imagine the improvements this could mean for millions of women and their families.”
Britain’s trial of using AI in breast cancer diagnosis has been hailed as the first of its kind.
Doctors will use Lunit’s AI to analyze mammograms at a breast screening clinic operated by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Typically, this process is performed by two radiologists, each of whom reviews a separate scan to help ensure that no signs of cancer are missed.
But a new trial replaces one of the doctors with AI.
Checking your breasts should be part of your monthly routine so that you notice any unusual changes. Simply rub and feel up and down, feeling in semicircles and a circular motion around the breast tissue to detect any abnormalities.
Breast cancer symptoms to look out for include lumps and swelling, dimpling of the skin, color changes, discharge, and a rash or crusting around the nipple.
If successful, the practice could be rolled out more widely across the NHS, a move that will speed up the diagnosis of breast cancer and enable earlier detection by freeing up more radiologists.
The royal colleges have warned that England faces a 29 per cent shortfall in radiologists and the problem is contributing to too many Britons waiting too long for cancer treatment.
Official health services data show that only 91 percent of cancer patients began treatment within a month of finding out they had the disease. The NHS standard is for 96 per cent of patients to start treatment within this time period.
The NHS/Lunit breast cancer AI trial began in February and will analyze scans from 50 per cent of patients with the help of the AI tool.
It is expected that 2,575 scans will be examined using the system and the results will be compared when the trial concludes next year.
Dr Nisha Sharma, consultant radiologist and director of the Leeds and Wakefield breast screening programme, told the i: “This is an important study as we face significant workforce challenges and this trial can help us continue to provide a high quality service”. with AI.’
But in their joint article, both Sunak and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that tech companies needed to do more to combat the potential dangers posed by AI.
Critics of the technology have warned that it poses risks such as causing large-scale unemployment, being used by terrorists and even going rogue.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with almost 56,000 cases diagnosed each year.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with almost 56,000 cases diagnosed each year.
This represents approximately one in six of all cancer cases and is equivalent to about 150 diagnoses each day.
While the vast majority of these cases are women, around 370 men in the UK each year are also diagnosed with breast cancer.
Almost 11,500 Britons die from breast cancer each year, making it the second leading cause of cancer death among women.
The risk of breast cancer increases widely with age, but other factors, such as family history and lifestyle, such as alcohol consumption, also play a role.
Overall, one in seven British women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Given the risk, all women in Britain are invited to have an NHS breast exam every three years between the ages of 50 and 71.
Breast cancer survival rates vary depending on when it is diagnosed, but generally three out of four women are still alive 10 years after diagnosis.
Breast cancer survival has doubled over the last 50 years in the UK, partly thanks to regular screening and greater awareness of symptoms.
Women are encouraged to check their breasts regularly for possible signs of cancer.
These include a lump or swelling in the breast, chest, or armpit, a change in the skin of the breast, or a general change in its size and shape.
Bloody discharge from the nipple, a change in the shape or appearance of the nipple, and continued pain in the breast or armpit are also signs of the disease.
While these are not always signs of cancer, it is recommended that anyone with these symptoms make an appointment with their GP so they can be examined.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Every year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the United States, it attacks 266,000 people each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancer cell that develops in the lining of a duct or lobe of one of the breasts.
When breast cancer has spread to surrounding tissue, it is called “invasive.” Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” where cancer cells have not grown beyond the duct or lobe.
Most cases develop in people over 50 years of age, but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, although this is rare.
Staging tells how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage, and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
Cancer cells are graded from low, meaning slow growing, to high, meaning fast growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they are first treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumor begins from an abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is believed that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This causes the cell to be abnormal and multiply “out of control.”
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the likelihood, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are non-cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place breast cancer usually spreads is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs, you will develop a swelling or lump in your armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial evaluation: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may perform tests such as a mammogram, a special x-ray of breast tissue that can indicate the possibility of tumors.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If it is confirmed that you have breast cancer, more tests may be needed to evaluate whether it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound of the liver, or a chest x-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal treatment. A combination of two or more of these treatments is often used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy: A treatment that uses high-energy radiation beams focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells or stops them from dividing. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: Treatment of cancer using anticancer drugs that kill cancer cells or stop them from dividing.
- Hormonal treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the “female” hormone estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that lower the level of these hormones or stop them from working are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is the treatment?
The prognosis is better for those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small and has not spread. Surgically removing a tumor at an early stage may offer a good chance of cure.
Routine mammography offered to women aged 50 to 70 means that more breast cancers are diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information, visit breastcancernow.org or call their free helpline on 0808 800 6000.
