Hidden clues in the mammogram: How AI can improve early breast cancer detection

Innovative methods of risk assessment that leverage the strength of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are essential to propelthe goals of precision prevention forward Since the creation of the Gail model in 1989, risk models have supportedrisk-adjusted screening and prevention, and their continued evolution has been a central pillar of breast cancerresearch Prior research has explored multiple risk factors related to hormonal and genetic information One factorthat has received substantial attention is mammographic breast density Incorporating mammographic breastdensity into clinically used models such as the Gail and Tyrer-Cuzick risk models significantly improves prediction and discrimination However, current risk models are limited in that they incorporate only a small fraction of dataavailable on any given patient Using breast density as a proxy for the detailed information embedded in themammogram is extremely limited, as breast density assessment is subjective, varies widely across radiologists, andrestricts the rich information contained in the digital images to a single crude value Patients of the same ageassigned the same density score can have mammogram images that appear drastically different and can have verydifferent future risk profiles While previous studies have explored automated methods to assess breast density,these efforts reduce the complex data contained in the mammogram into a few statistics, which are not sufficientlyrich to distinguish patients who will and will not develop breast cancer Deep learning models can operate over fullresolution mammogram images to assess a patient's future breast cancer risk Rather than manually identifyingdiscriminative image patterns, machine learning models can discover these patterns directly from the data Specifically, models are trained with full resolution mammograms and the outcome of interest, namely whether the patient developed breast cancer with in five years from the date of the examination Our recent work demonstratesthat application of novel artificial intelligence applications to imaging data can significantly improve breast cancerrisk prediction In addition, unlike traditional models, our DL model performs equally well across varied races, ages,and family histories and we have built a clinical platform which is currently in use to support implementation of ourrisk model into clinical care The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed severe inequities in healthcare while providingopportunities for essential reform In breast cancer care, preliminary, conservative estimates predict the disruption of breast cancer screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a significant upward stage shift of cancersdiagnosed and more than 5,000 breast cancer deaths in the U S alone Due to severely limited healthcare resources during pandemics, and to protect patients and healthcare workers,state governments urge providers to focus cancer screening efforts on those patients at higher risk Thesemandates are necessary responses to support fair allocation of scarce resources to maximize benefits for allpatients across the full spectrum of healthcare needs AI-based breast cancer risk models have the potential tosupport more effective and more equitable mammographic screening for breast cancer during these times of severely restricted access to screening