NHS Launches Major AI Study for Breast Cancer Dx   

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NHS Launches Major AI Study for Breast Cancer Dx   


NHS Launches Major AI Study for Breast Cancer Dx   
Credit: PonyWang/Getty Images

Nearly 700,000 women across the U.K. will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier, the U.K.’s Department of Health and Social Care announced today. That department is a division of the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The U.K. also announced the development of a new national cancer plan for the country.

Cancer Research UK chief executive officer, Michelle Mitchell, said of the project, “The evidence is clear: countries with dedicated cancer plans see greater improvements in survival. We look forward to working with the U.K. government to make sure the plan delivers for everyone affected by cancer in England.

The EDITH trial (Early Detection using Information Technology in Health) breast cancer diagnosis project is backed by £11M of government support from the NIHR. 

According to their release, 30 testing sites across the country will be enhanced with the latest digital AI technologies, ready to invite women already booked in for routine screenings on the NHS to take part. The technology will assist radiologists screening patients to identify changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer and refer them for further investigations if required. 

Currently, they say, two specialists are needed per mammogram screening. AI enables just one to complete the same mammogram screening process safely and efficiently. “If the trial is successful, it could free up hundreds of radiologists and other specialists across the country to see more patients, tackle rising cancer rates, save more lives and cut waiting lists,” they said.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, with around 55,000 people being diagnosed with the disease every year. Currently, women between the ages of 50 and 71 are invited to be screened every three years to help detect cases. This equates to around 2.1 million breast cancer screens carried out by the program annually, helping to prevent around 1,300 deaths. 

The new plan to fight cancer could help transform the way it is treated, “making the U.K. a world leader in cancer survival by fighting the disease on all fronts, through improving research, diagnosis, screening, treatment and prevention,” the researchers said.

Part of the goal is to ensure that NHS patients will be among the first to benefit from cutting-edge medical innovations, such as the technology being tested in the EDITH trial, catapulting the service from analogue to digital to cut waiting lists and make it fit for the future, as set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. 

Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts, have already been invited to share their experiences, views, and ideas for fixing the NHS through the Change NHS online platform, which will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. The results of this consultation will support the development of the national cancer plan. 

This closely follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the U.K. on course to revolutionize public services and become an AI superpower—already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month.



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