Health and Me

Ishita Srivastava

AI Detects More Breast Cancer Cases in Landmark Swedish Study

Using artificial intelligence (AI) in <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/breast-cancer">breast cancer</a> screening can reduce the number of cancers diagnosed in late stages by 12 percent, according to a major new study from Sweden.

The study found that fewer women in the AI group were diagnosed with breast cancer in the years after screening. There were 1.55 cancers per 1,000 women in the AI-supported group, compared with 1.76 per 1,000 in the standard screening group.

According to lead author Dr Kristina Lang of Lund University in Sweden, this indicates better early identification of clinically relevant cancers. She said of the results: “Our findings show that AI-supported screening improves the early detection of breast cancers that are more likely to become aggressive or advanced.

“This results in fewer serious cancers being diagnosed in the interval between screenings.”

She added that wider adoption of AI-supported mammography could ease workforce pressures on radiologists while improving early detection, including of aggressive cancer subtypes.

The study, published in The Lancet, involved around 100,000 women who took part in routine mammography screening between April 2021 and December 2022, making it the first large randomised trial to assess how AI performs in real-world breast cancer screening.

Women were randomly divided into two groups. One group received standard screening, where mammograms were read by two radiologists and the other group had AI-supported screening, where an AI system assessed the scans first. 

Low-risk cases were read by one radiologist, while higher-risk cases were checked by two, with the AI also flagging suspicious areas.

The results showed that 81 percent of cancers in the AI-supported group were detected during screening, compared with 74 percent in the standard screening group—a nine percent increase. Importantly, false-positive rates remained similar, at 1.5 percent in the AI group and 1.4 percent in the control group.

Despite positive results, Dr Lang cautioned that introducing AI into healthcare must be done carefully, using validated tools and continuous monitoring to understand how performance may vary across regions and over time.

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/fitness/this-2-hour-activity-can-reduce-your-breast-cancer-risk-study-shows-article-153476014" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">This 2 Hour Activity Can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk, Study Shows</a>

About 1.9 lakh Indian women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, meaning that a new case is diagnosed every four minutes. On average, a woman in India dies of breast cancer every eight minutes, highlighting how urgently the country needs stronger awareness, early diagnosis and sustained care.

One factor that sets India apart is the age at which women are affected. Almost half of all breast cancer patients in the country are younger than 45. This is a much higher proportion than seen in many Western nations, where the disease is usually detected later in life.

Moreover, sedentary habits, excessive consumption of processed foods as well as alcohol and smoking promotes obesity and hormonal changes which pave the way for breast cancer development.

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Using artificial intelligence (AI) in breast cancer screening can reduce the number of cancers diagnosed in late stages by 12 percent, according to a major new study from Sweden. The study found that fewer women in the AI group were diagnosed with breast cancer in the years after screening. There were 1.55 cancers per 1,000 women in the AI-supported group, compared with 1.76 per 1,000 in the standard screening group.According to lead author Dr Kristina Lang of Lund University in Sweden, this indicates better early identification of clinically relevant cancers. She said of the results: “Our findings show that AI-supported screening improves the early detection of breast cancers that are more likely to become aggressive or advanced.“This results in fewer serious cancers being diagnosed in the interval between screenings.”She added that wider adoption of AI-supported mammography could ease workforce pressures on radiologists while improving early detection, including of aggressive cancer subtypes.What Did The Study Find?The study, published in The Lancet, involved around 100,000 women who took part in routine mammography screening between April 2021 and December 2022, making it the first large randomised trial to assess how AI performs in real-world breast cancer screening.Women were randomly divided into two groups. One group received standard screening, where mammograms were read by two radiologists and the other group had AI-supported screening, where an AI system assessed the scans first. Low-risk cases were read by one radiologist, while higher-risk cases were checked by two, with the AI also flagging suspicious areas.The results showed that 81 percent of cancers in the AI-supported group were detected during screening, compared with 74 percent in the standard screening group—a nine percent increase. Importantly, false-positive rates remained similar, at 1.5 percent in the AI group and 1.4 percent in the control group.Despite positive results, Dr Lang cautioned that introducing AI into healthcare must be done carefully, using validated tools and continuous monitoring to understand how performance may vary across regions and over time.READ MORE: This 2 Hour Activity Can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk, Study ShowsBreast Cancer: A Rising CrisisAbout 1.9 lakh Indian women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, meaning that a new case is diagnosed every four minutes. On average, a woman in India dies of breast cancer every eight minutes, highlighting how urgently the country needs stronger awareness, early diagnosis and sustained care.One factor that sets India apart is the age at which women are affected. Almost half of all breast cancer patients in the country are younger than 45. This is a much higher proportion than seen in many Western nations, where the disease is usually detected later in life.Moreover, sedentary habits, excessive consumption of processed foods as well as alcohol and smoking promotes obesity and hormonal changes which pave the way for breast cancer development.