Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

AI holds much promise in healthcare

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Unfortunately, the incidence of cancer is on the increase despite scientific progress. The number of patients grows frighteningly fast with every passing year. However, with screening programmes, scientific breakthroughs and technological advances in areas such as genetics and medical imaging, cancer is much more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage than it was done several decades ago.


If cancer is detected early, the treatment will be more successful. But the disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment becomes difficult. There are many reasons for this, the main one is that the symptoms experienced by people are often ambiguous and are associated with less serious conditions. But can there be subtle evidence in the lives of people indicating cancer? If so, is there a way to collect this information and help detect cancer early?


For decades, oncologists have been trying to figure out which cancer patients can benefit most from a specific treatment. However, the success of this exact medicine approach has been limited to date. One reason is that doctors are overwhelmed by the data of patients whom they treat. This is where artificial intelligence could play a role!


However, what I have found fascinating is that artificial intelligence (AI) and automated learning are new technologies that have recently been improved. Through algorithms, they can learn, predict and advise based on massive amounts of data. We do realise that the physician can access high quality imaging and get skilled radiologists to detect abnormal growth marks for instance and that once identified, the next step is for doctors to make sure whether growth is benign or malignant and here the most reliable method is biopsy, which indeed invasive!


In fact, the discovery of whether the lesion is malignant or benign is more reliable and without the need for a biopsy it will change the game! Interestingly, applications of machines in prostate cancer treatment is growing rapidly because of many technological platforms that are involved in diagnosis and treatment.


Adding to that, researchers have been looking at how artificial intelligence can improve the efficacy and efficiency of care for lung, brain, breast and prostate cancer, in order to meet ever increasing diagnosis demands. For example, in cases such as breast cancer, the focus was on how artificial intelligence helped diagnose the disease through mammograms. Each mammogram is read by two specialists, which may lead to potential delay in diagnosis if there is a lack of experience. But researchers were looking to introduce artificial intelligence systems, which are already loaded with hundreds of learned diagnostic images. The idea is that it will support the results of the specialist without waiting for the second opinion of another professional. This will reduce the waiting time and associated anxiety for women who have been tested.


Also, robot-assisted surgery is emerging as it offers various unique advantages. The enhanced precision and control offered by the robot allows surgeons to perform delicate procedures like prostate surgery while preserving the nerve fibres and blood vessels attached to the gland.


With the type of technology used, collaboration is needed. For instance, clinician, data scientists, computer researchers and engineers are required to ensure that artificial intelligence based decision-support applications are properly operated and regulated.


Personally, I am excited to consider the possibility of using artificial intelligence to help detect cancer, and the confidence of specialists and the public must be taken into account before presenting it, and undoubtedly this will take its time before being implemented!


Using artificial intelligence in precision medicine has big potential, especially with current researches which have found how it is better and faster at detecting cancer than clinician. Surely, there is fantasy around artificial intelligence in healthcare, and the future holds tremendous opportunities for a large number of developers and start-ups.


Dr Yousuf Ali al Mulla, MD, Ministry of Health, is a medical innovator and educator. For any queries regarding the content of the column he can be contacted at: dryusufalmulla@gmail.com


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