How AI is being harnessed in treatment of cancer
- January 8, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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How AI is being harnessed in treatment of cancer
Subject: Science and Tech
Section: Nuclear technology
In the news:
- Researchers at Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital, India’s largest cancer hospital, have used data from 60,000 patients to establish a bio-imaging bank for cancer, laying the ground to build a targeted algorithm to help detect the disease at an early stage.
- The hospital has also started to use artificial intelligence (Al) to reduce radiation exposure for paediatric patients during computed tomography (CT) scans, showcasing the use and impact of this world-changing technology in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
What is the Tata Memorial Hospital’s Al-led cancer diagnosis initiative?
- Tata Memorial Hospital aims to build a comprehensive bio-imaging bank by collecting radiology and pathology images alongside clinical data, treatment specifics, and outcomes.
- This initiative focuses on head and neck cancers and lung cancers, gathering data from at least 1,000 patients for each type.
- The project involves testing AI algorithms to address various medical tasks like screening for metastases, predicting biomarkers, and therapy responses.
- Funded by the government’s Department of Biotechnology, the project collaborates with multiple institutions and features a live data submission portal for investigators to contribute and develop AI algorithms.
How exactly does Al use clinical and imaging data for cancer detection?
- AI in cancer detection replicates human brain processing by analyzing radiological and pathological images, learning from vast datasets to identify specific features indicative of different cancers.
- Longitudinal patient data from comprehensive imaging aids in understanding behaviour, treatment responses, disease recurrence, and overall survival.
- AI and machine learning use this data to create predictive models fortumor survival,guiding treatment decisions.
- Creating atumor image bank involves segmenting, annotating, and classifying tumors based on features, correlating biopsy, histopathology, immunohistochemistry reports, and genomic sequences to develop algorithms.
- This assessment from images helps doctors avoid unnecessary chemotherapy for predicted non-responders.
What role could Al play in the treatment of cancer in the future?
- AI holds immense potential in revolutionizing cancer treatment, especially in rural areas, by customizing treatment strategies based on diverse patient profiles, thus optimizing therapy results.
- AI is expected to swiftly detect complex cancers, potentially eliminating the need for extensive tests, even by general practitioners.
- Its continuous learning capability enhances accuracy, leading to timely diagnoses,better patient outcomes, and aiding healthcare professionals in decision-making.
- However, debates persist regarding the potential replacement of human radiologists by AI tools, leading to regulatory scrutiny and resistance from some doctors and health institutions.