The National Health Service (NHS) is set to launch the largest AI breast cancer screening trial yet, involving nearly 700,000 women across the UK. This groundbreaking initiative aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence to improve cancer care and reduce waiting lists.
Nearly 700,000 women are set to participate in the largest ‘AI breast cancer screening trial yet conducted by the National Health Service (NHS) across the UK.’ The £11m Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (Edith) trial will test five different artificial intelligence (AI) platforms at 30 sites from April.
Women between the ages of 50 and 53, and then every three years until they turn 71, are invited for routine NHS screenings. At these appointments, mammograms – X-rays used to detect small or invisible cancers – are taken. However, the current process requires two radiologists to review each set of images, ensuring accuracy.
The AI being trialled aims to enable one radiologist to complete the screening process, freeing up specialists to see more patients and reducing waiting lists. Given that over two million mammograms are carried out annually under the screening programme, this could have a significant impact on the workload of radiologists.
Department of Health and Social Care chief scientific adviser Prof Lucy Chappell believes the study could lead to a ‘significant step forward’ in cancer care. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also pledged to improve cancer survival rates, which currently lag behind other countries. He promises to publish a dedicated national cancer plan to ‘unleash Britain’s potential as a world leader in saving lives from this deadly disease.’
Cancer care has witnessed significant advancements in recent years, driven by research and technological innovations.
Targeted therapies and immunotherapies have improved treatment outcomes for various cancer types.
For instance, 'CAR-T cell therapy' has shown promising results in treating blood cancers.
Additionally, precision medicine approaches are being developed to tailor treatments to individual patients' genetic profiles.
These advancements aim to improve patient survival rates and quality of life.
However, the Royal College of Radiologists president Dr Katharine Halliday highlights that the NHS is still 30% short of the radiologists it needs. She emphasizes that while AI has ‘immense potential,’ building radiology capacity remains an urgent need. The Edith trial will take time to yield results, but it marks a crucial step towards improving cancer care in the UK.
A growing concern in the medical field, the radiologist shortage affects healthcare systems worldwide.
The main cause is a combination of factors, including an aging workforce, limited training capacity, and increasing demand for imaging services.
According to the American College of Radiology, the US faces a projected shortage of over 4,000 radiologists by 2025.
This shortage can lead to delayed diagnoses, longer wait times, and decreased patient care quality.
