KANSAS CITY - Researchers in Missouri have found a way to greatly improve breast cancer risk predictions -- by using artificial intelligence.
The researchers, at Washington University in St. Louis, have created a new Artificial Intelligence algorithm that did a much better job than the current method of assessing breast cancer risk by closely analyzing current and past mammograms.
The goal is to better predict the breast cancer risk for women five years down the road.
"Our newly developed model is actually 2.3x more accurate than the currently implemented questionnaire-based model right now for women," said Lead study author Dr. Joy Jiang at Wash U and and Siteman Cancer Center. "The questionnaire model is very burdensome to collect. You got to know your family history, your reproductive system and things like that."
"So these can all be avoided. So with the image itself, we can accurately predict breast cancer within the next five years for women."
Dr. Jiang says they are now seeking a patent for this new AI program -- so it hopefully can be implemented in clinics within a year of so.