Around 700,000 women are set to participate in an NHS trial that will use artificial intelligence (AI) for breast cancer screening throughout the UK. The trial, running from April at 30 locations, will assess five AI platforms to expedite diagnosis and ease the workload of radiologists.
The UK government is soliciting feedback to shape its national cancer plan, set to debut later this year. The deployment of AI in cancer care has been expanding within the NHS, yet this trial on breast cancer is the most extensive to date.
Women with upcoming routine NHS screenings will be asked to join the £11m Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (Edith) trial. Screening is available to women aged 50 to 53, and subsequently every three years until age 71, involving mammograms to detect early-stage cancers.
Presently, two radiologists are required to review each screening's images for accuracy. The AI under testing is anticipated to potentially streamline this process, enabling specialty doctors to take over and allowing radiologists to attend to more patients, reducing waiting times.
This trial could greatly impact the workload of radiologists as over two million mammograms are conducted annually in the screening program. The Department of Health and Social Care's chief scientific adviser, Prof Lucy Chappell, believes this study could be a "significant step forward," while Health Secretary Wes Streeting sees it as the beginning of improving cancer care nationwide.
Urgent measures are deemed necessary as the UK’s cancer survival rates fall behind other countries. Streeting vows to introduce a comprehensive national cancer plan to position Britain as a global leader in saving lives from cancer. Despite the potential of AI, the NHS still faces a shortage of around 30% of required radiologists, according to Dr. Katharine Halliday, president of the Royal College of Radiologists. Halliday stresses the ongoing importance of expanding radiology services alongside exploring AI solutions.