Using AI to find cancer in the lymph nodes

What’s the project about?

Researchers are designing a study to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) can help diagnose breast cancer. This study will look at lymph nodes under the arm (called axillary nodes) on CT scans.

These nodes are important because breast cancer often spreads there first. Deciding whether cancer has reached these nodes can require extra scans and some procedures, like biopsies. These tests can be uncomfortable and carry some risks. Biopsies on armpit nodes may not always be entirely accurate. This can result in some patients needing a second operation on the armpit nodes.

In this research, AI models—computer programs trained to recognise patterns in medical images—will look at a series of CT scans of the armpit nodes to see if the program can tell whether lymph nodes contain cancer. On these scans, the outcome of the presence of cancer in the axillary nodes and the number of axillary nodes containing cancer are already known. This information will be needed to train the AI system to pick up the abnormal nodes.

If successful, the AI tool could help doctors make faster, more accurate diagnoses about the axillary ( armpit nodes). This could mean fewer surgeries, faster treatments, and better patient care.

The researchers want to hear your feedback on the study to understand whether this reflects what’s important to people diagnosed with breast cancer.

Who’s organising it?

Name of project lead: Julie Cox

Job title: Consultant Radiologist

Organisation: County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Email address: j_cox@talk21.com

Phone number: 07527 455 444

Who can take part?

You can take part if you’ve been directly affected by breast cancer, whether by a personal diagnosis, or that of a loved one.

Why do you want me to be involved?

By giving feedback, you can help the researchers understand what matters to people affected by breast cancer in this topic, which could shape the future direction of the project.

What will you ask me to do?

Initially, the researchers want to hear from people affected by breast cancer about whether they think the research will be beneficial to people with breast cancer, and whether it reflects what’s important to you. They also want to understand what you’d like to see as the outcomes of the project, and how you think they should be applied to breast cancer diagnosis.

If you’re interested, you’ll also have the opportunity to review the research protocol at a later date.

How do I get involved?

If you’d like to give feedback, or if you have any questions, please contact Julie at j.cox1@nhs.net.

When’s the deadline?

20 December 2024