Artificialintelligence (AI) comprises a type of computer science that develops entities,such as software programs, that can intelligently perform tasks or makedecisions.1 The development and use of AI in health care is not new;the first ideas that created the foundation of AI were documented in 1956, andautomated clinical tools that were developed between the 1970s and 1990s arenow in routine use. These tools, such as the automated interpretation ofelectrocardiograms, may seem simple, but are considered AI.

Today,AI is being harnessed to help with big problems in medicine such asprocessing and interpreting large amounts of data in research and in clinicalsettings, including reading imaging or results from broad genetic-testingpanels.1 In oncology, AI is not yet being used broadly, but its useis being studied in several areas.

Screeningand Diagnosis

Thereare several AI platforms approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)to assist in the evaluation of medical imaging, including for identifyingsuspicious lesions that may be cancer.2 Some platforms help tovisualize and manipulate images from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) orcomputed tomography (CT) and flag suspicious areas. For example, there are severalAI platforms for evaluating mammography images and, in some cases, help todiagnose breast abnormalities. There is also an AI platform that helps toanalyze lung nodules in individuals who are being screened for lung cancer.1,3

AI isalso being studied in other areas of cancer screening and diagnosis. Indermatology, skin lesions are biopsied based on a dermatologists or primarycare providers assessment of the appearance of the lesion.1 Studiesare evaluating the use of AI to either supplement or replace the work of theclinician, with the ultimate goal of making the overall process moreefficient.

Big Data

Astechnology has improved, we now have the ability to create a vast amount ofdata. This highlights a challenge individuals have limited capabilities toassess large chunks of data and identify meaningful patterns. AI is beingdeveloped and used to help mine these data for important findings, process andcondense the information the data represent, and look for meaningful patterns.

Such toolswould be useful in the research setting, as scientists look for novel targetsfor new anticancer therapies or to further their understanding of underlyingdisease processes. AI would also be useful in the clinical setting, especiallynow that electronic health records are being used and real-world data are beinggenerated from patients.

Read more:

Artificial Intelligence in Cancer: How Is It Used in Practice? - Cancer Therapy Advisor