AI May Help Spot Breast Cancer Spread and Eliminate Unnecessary Biopsies, Study Finds

A new artificial intelligence tool developed to detect the spread of breast cancer may help reduce the need for surgical biopsies.

The AI tool combines standard MRI with machine learning to detect the presence of cancer cells in the axillary, or underarm, lymph nodes.

In a recent study, 350 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients underwent standard scans to help determine cancer staging.

The images were then analyzed using AI, and researchers say the combination was significantly better at identifying patients whose cancer had spread.

The AI model correctly detected 95% of patients with axillary metastasis, according to the results,

And would have helped patients avoid 51% of unnecessary surgical biopsies.

The lead author says this is an important advancement because surgical biopsies have side effects and risks.

She says, “Our research demonstrates that it’s possible to identify – with a high degree of accuracy – patients who are nonmetastatic, which benefits the patient and also allows the physician to tailor treatment.”

Source: Radiology: Imaging Cancer