Scientists have created an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that could be used by doctors to detect and diagnose cancer, allowing for earlier treatment of the disease.
The AI developed by researchers from Cambridge University and Imperial College London was found to be 98.2 per cent accurate at identifying 13 different cancer types, including breast and lung cancer.
The model works by analysing a process that takes place in the body called DNA methylation, where a molecule called methyl is added to DNA cells. When this happens, the cells are left with a mark.
Researchers have previously observed changes to these marks in early cancer development, but identifying how these changes might indicate cancer is extremely difficult.
The team at Cambridge and Imperial trained an AI tool to look at the DNA methylation patterns in 13 different cancers using samples from human tissue.
“Identifying these unusual methylation patterns (potentially from biopsies) would allow health care providers to detect cancer early. This could potentially improve patient outcomes dramatically, as most cancers are treatable or curable if detected early enough,” researchers said.
They added that the AI model would need additional training and testing on a more diverse collection of biopsy samples to be ready for use in hospitals.
Shamith Samarajiwa, lead author on the paper and a senior lecturer in genomics at Imperial, said: “Computational methods such as this model, through better training on more varied data and rigorous testing in the clinic, will eventually provide AI models that can help doctors with early detection and screening of cancers. This will provide better patient outcomes.”
Last week, a study from the University of Oxford found that AI could be used to develop personalised cancer treatments which could be more effective at preventing patient relapse.
The AI was found to double the time to relapse in prostate cancer patients compared to traditional therapy.
Cancer remains one of the most challenging human diseases, with over 19 million cases and 10 million deaths annually.
Labour have pledged to enable every major hospital to analyse scans using AI to double NHS diagnostic capacity.
In an interview with the Telegraph, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said that every hospital in England would be obliged to ensure that their new kit is compatible with AI, so that scans can be analysed using the technology.
