Researchers in the United States and Britain have reported that a system of artificial intelligence in Google has proven similar accuracy to the accuracy of radiologists in the discovery of women who developed breast cancer based on mammograms and showed efficiency in reducing errors.

The study, published in the journal Nature, is the latest research showing that artificial intelligence has the potential to improve the accuracy of screening for breast cancer affecting a woman out of every eight women in the world.

The American Cancer Society says that the radiologist’s error rate in diagnosing breast cancer through X-ray is 20%, and that half of the women who underwent examination over a period of ten years were mistakenly diagnosed with the disease.

Muzyar Etmadadi, one of the participants in preparing the study from Northwestern University School of Medicine, said that the results of the study - which was developed in cooperation with the "Deep Mind" unit of artificial intelligence in Google, which was integrated with Google Health last September - represents a significant progress in the possibility Early detection of breast cancer.

The team, which included researchers from Imperial College London and the National Health Service in Britain, trained the system to determine breast cancer on tens of thousands of mammograms.

Then they compared the system's expectations with the actual results for a group of 25,856 mammograms in Britain and 3,097 in the United States.

The study showed that the artificial intelligence system was able to determine the incidence of cancer to a degree similar to the accuracy of radiologists, while reducing the number of false positive results by 5.7% in the group in the United States, and by 2.1% in those in Britain.

It also reduced erroneous negative results that erroneously classified tests as normal, by 9.4% in the American group and 2.7% in the British group.

These differences reflect the ways to read the results of mammograms. In the United States, only one radiologist reads the results and takes tests every year or two. In Britain, tests are taken every three years, and two radiologists are examined by each. When they differ, a third expert is consulted.

What is the?
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, whether in developed or developing countries, and several factors cause disease, including lifestyle and heredity. According to the World Health Organization, early detection of breast cancer remains the best way to improve the chances of recovery for patients and reduce mortality from disease.

Every year, about one million and 380 thousand new cases of breast cancer are recorded, and 458 thousand deaths occur because of it, including 269 thousand in developing countries. That is, most deaths are recorded in poor and developing countries, due to a lack of awareness of the disease and late detection, which reduces the possibility of recovery and raises the risk of death.

Breast cancer occurs when some cells in it begin to grow abnormally as a result of a mutation or alteration of the genetic material, and then it spreads to the rest of the breast and to the lymph nodes, and from there to other parts of the body. Breast cancer usually begins in the cells of the ducts that produce milk, and it may also begin with the glandular tissue in the breast.

Genetics play an important role in the disease, as it is believed that 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are caused by a genetic mutation inherited across generations. Scientists have identified two genes linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, namely "BRCA1" and "BRCA2". These two genes in a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Symptoms

  • Lumps in the breast or areas that feel different from other areas of the breast.
  • Bloody secretions from the nipple.
  • Changes in the size or shape of the breast.
  • A change in the texture of the skin, such as the occurrence of roughness in it, so that it feels like orange peel.
  • Nipple inversion, that is, its entry into the breast.
  • Peel off the skin of the breast or nipple.

Risk factors

  • Aging, the higher the woman's age, the greater the risk of developing breast cancer.
  • Alcohol abuse.
  • Obesity.
  • Previous breast cancer, as this makes women more likely to return to cancer (relapse) again.
  • A family history of breast cancer.
  • The presence of "BRCA1" and "BRCA2" gene mutations in women, which increases the woman's risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer as well.
  • The girl reaches early before the age of 12, that is, she starts her period before this age.
  • Menopause (menopause) at a later age, that is, the longer a woman's menopause is delayed, the greater the risk of developing breast cancer.
  • Never become pregnant, as women who have not become pregnant are more susceptible to the disease than pregnant.
  • Delayed birth of the first child, as those who gave birth to their first child after the age of 35 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
  • Exposure to chest radiotherapy during childhood or adolescence.
  • Menopausal hormone therapy, for those who take hormone therapy that consists of estrogen and progesterone to treat menopausal symptoms are more susceptible to disease.
  • Some doctors point to a possible role for breastfeeding in preventing breast cancer, but this is not proven and needs further investigation.
  • The gender of the person, breast cancer is more prevalent among women, but men are also vulnerable to the disease, although to a lesser extent.

protection

  • Avoid wine.
  • Exercise most days of the week for at least thirty minutes a day.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Early examination of the breast.
  • Learn to do a breast self-examination at home.
  • See the doctor periodically.
  • Consult your doctor about early screening for breast cancer and its options.
  • If you are taking hormonal treatment for menopausal symptoms, discuss its risks with your doctor.
  • If you are a group with a high risk of breast cancer, your doctor may recommend that you take drug treatment to reduce the risk of disease or perform mastectomy and ovulation for prevention. Discuss options with a doctor.