Hungarian researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence based system that can detect breast cancer with greater accuracy than human doctors.
One of the main benefits of this new program is that it gives medical providers a more accurate and efficient way to identify the disease. If breast cancer is detected in its early stages, the treatment is not only less exhausting for the patient, but also cheaper. Not only would this save billions of dollars in medical costs, but it would also reduce breast cancer mortality in the long run. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women worldwide, and early detection is critical to increasing the number of patients cured.
The system was trained to identify patterns and features associated with breast cancer using a dataset of more than 60,000 patient mammograms. In tests, the system was able to accurately detect breast cancer in 99 percent of cases, while the number achieved by humans was 96 percent. Even this three percent difference means thousands of patients a year. Although mammography is currently the standard screening method for breast cancer, it has limitations such as false positives and false negatives.
In addition to improving accuracy, an AI system can also help reduce costs and improve efficiency. Mammography screening can be time-consuming and expensive, and often has limited availability in certain countries. This is because mammography requires specialized equipment and trained personnel, which can limit its availability. With the new AI system, breast cancer screening could be more widely available and affordable, potentially saving lives and reducing healthcare costs by making screening more cost-effective.
Source: The New York Times
