AI assisted screening could detect aggressive breast cancer earlier, study finds

Artificial intelligence is playing a pivotal role in detecting fast-growing hard to treat breast cancers, according to a large Swedish screening trial. The results published in The Lancet, involved nearly 100,000 women aged 40 to 80 who participated in Sweden’s national breast screening programme between April 2021 and December 2022.

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Women were randomly assigned to standard screening with two radiologists or to an AI-supported approach, in which AI-flagged suspicious areas on mammograms to assist in a final decision.

Initial findings demonstrated a 44% reduction in workload, which researchers say is especially valuable for health institutions facing staff shortages. Breast cancer remains one of the most common forms of cancer for women, with one in 20 women expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime.

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AI-assisted mammography is currently being introduced in parts of Sweden and Denmark, highlighting the fact that it is intended to supplement, not replace human oversight. The principal investigator and breast cancer research lead at the University of Edinburgh's Cancer Centre, Dr Olga Oikonomidou stated that the trial focused on whether AI could help radiologists work more efficiently rather than replacing them. She emphasized that as AI systems spread widely, they must be tested with the same rigour as any other medical intervention.