The existence of artificial intelligence has transformed our life. But this tech intervention into healthcare has eased out the treatment procedures. Presently, it is been noted that doctors are utilizing AI to provide customized treatments for patients suffering from oral squamous cell carcinomas (cancer). According to research, it is been revealed that oral squamous cell carcinomas are the eighth most common cancer type found globally. Now, it is found to increase in the United States, India, and other parts of Asia.

However, the National Cancer Institute has been awarded a five-year, $3.3 million grant to a group led by Anant Madabhushi, the Donnell Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve and head of the Centre for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics (CCIPC), and James Lewis Jr., a Professor of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Benefits of Early Detection Using AI

According to researchers from the University of Sheffield in the UK, artificial intelligence is aiding doctors to enhance their prediction of the risk of patients developing oral cancer by ensuring accuracy, consistency, and objectivity. However, the researchers are examining the use of AI and machine learning the study of computer algorithms that aid in automatically enhance the experience of assisting pathologists and improving the early detection of oral cancer. The rate of people being diagnosed with oral cancers that include the mouth, tonsil, tongue, and oropharyngeal cancer, has increased by around 60 percent in the last 10 years.

It is also suggested that the tobacco and alcohol consumption, viruses, in their old age as well as not consuming sufficient fruit and vegetables can increase the risk of developing the disease, they said. Excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol, viruses, age factor, and a lack of fruits and vegetables included in the diet all could be reflected in the increase in the risk of developing the disease. Alongside, oral cancer has been often detected late, which results in poor survival rates.

Thus, the use of AI has certainly changed the prediction in the likelihood of precancerous changes, which is known as oral epithelial dysplasia (OED). Furthermore, developing into cancer by assessing a patients' biopsy on 15 different criteria to establish a score that determines whether an action is needed and what treatment pathway should be taken. Doctors currently predict the likelihood of precancerous changes, known as oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), developing into cancer by assessing a patient’s biopsy on 15 different criteria to establish a score that determines whether an action is needed and what treatment pathway should be taken.

The score is subjective, which means they're often are huge variations in how patients with similar biopsy results are treated. For instance, one patient may be advised to undergo surgery and intense treatment, while another may be observed for further changes.

The grading is vital in the early oral cancer detection to inform treatment decisions that give the surgeon to determine whether a lesion should be observed or surgically removed.

Machine learning and AI can aid in tissue diagnostics by eliminating subjectivity using automation and quantification to guide diagnosis and treatment. However, this hasn’t been examined, but AI has the potential to revolutionize oral cancer diagnosis and management by ensuring accuracy, consistency, and objectivity. The proposed algorithms have a strong translational angle and the potential to be rapidly deployed as an aid to clinical and diagnostic practice worldwide.

People often feel threatened by AI. However, rather than replacing a doctor’s expertise, exceptionally high level of training, and experience, the technology can help to assist their decision-making and compliment their skills. This will help them to give a more accurate assessment and enable them to recommend the most beneficial treatment pathway for individual patients, which we hope will help to improve survival rates.

Early detection of cancer is a key focus area of research in our lab, and this award by CRUK adds to the portfolio of research at the TIA lab on early detection of cancer,” says Nasir Rajpoot, investigator PhD, co-principal of the University Of Warwick Department Of Computer Science.