October is breast cancer month, a time when artificial intelligence can drive significant advances in women’s health. How can AI revolutionize this fight?
Tl;dr
- AI promises advances in breast cancer screening.
- It improves image analysis by automating and accelerating the process.
- AI algorithms allow further exploitation of the data obtained.
The promise of AI in the fight against breast cancer
October, a month dedicated to breast cancer awareness, this year highlights the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) in the fight against this disease.
In France, breast cancer remains the leading female cancer, recording more than 60,000 new cases each year and causing around 12,000 deaths. However, the emergence of AI could change this.
AI at the service of medical imaging
AI technology, already integrated into many medical imaging devices, automates, makes reliable and accelerates image analysis. As Dr Irène Buvat explains, AI facilitates the detection of anomalies in the images obtained, allowing rapid sorting of healthy and pathological images.
In addition, it automatically performs measurements on tumor images, a process usually carried out manually by radiologists, which “reduces variability between medical centers and observers”.
Optimized use of data
Beyond image analysis, AI offers the possibility of exploiting a multitude of information contained in radiological images. This information, called “radiomics”can be used to predict treatment response and influence patient prognosis. For example, AI can predict cardiotoxicities linked to breast irradiation, allowing treatment to be further personalized for each patient.
In addition, these AI algorithms are used to better understand tumors, particularly through their molecular characteristics. The objective is to identify tumor phenotypes from precise images, thus allowing a better understanding of resistance to immunotherapy treatment. This is where the real promise of AI lies: a better understanding of disease, leading to more effective and personalized treatments.
A promising future for breast cancer screening and treatment
Thanks to artificial intelligence, the fight against breast cancer is entering a new era. Technology offers the opportunity to improve the detection, analysis and treatment of this disease. The future is promising and the objective is clear: reduce the mortality rate and improve the quality of life of women with breast cancer.
