A world-leading National Health Service (NHS) trial launched on World Cancer Day this week will test how artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.
Nearly 700,000 women across the UK would benefit from the technology aimed at assisting radiologists, screening patients to identify changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer and refer them for further investigations if required. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said if the trial is successful, it could free up hundreds of radiologists and other specialists across the country to see more patients, cut waiting lists and save lives.
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “As a cancer survivor, I feel like one of the lucky ones.
“That’s why for World Cancer Day, I am committed to publishing a dedicated national cancer plan this year, to unleash Britain’s potential as a world leader in saving lives from this deadly disease and make the NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change.”
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The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (EDITH) is backed by £11 million of government support via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at DHSC and NIHR CEO, said: “This landmark trial could lead to a significant step forward in the early detection of breast cancer, offering women faster, more accurate diagnoses when it matters most.
The launch of the trial comes as cancer experts, people living with cancer and medical professionals have been invited to help shape the development of a new national cancer plan through the launch of a call for evidence.”
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Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, added: “A national cancer plan will give us the chance to do just that - bringing in new ideas, help us make best practice, normal practice – and ensure the NHS is at the cutting edge of new cancer developments and innovations in the future.”
Due to be published later this year, the UK’s national cancer plan will set out targeted actions to reduce lives lost to one of the biggest killers, continue improving survival rates, and improve the experience of patients in Britain along their cancer journey. It will also include specific actions for rarer cancers, such as those affecting children and young people.
