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The Growing Connection Between AI and Cancer Research

Published

1 year ago

January 23, 2024

Jenna Ross

Graphics & Design

Sabrina Fortin

Bubble chart shows that the number of articles focused on AI and cancer research has increased from 40 in 2000 to 1,789 in 2022. Secondary chart shows that researchers believe AI will be most likely to grade and classify cancer in the next decade.

The Growing Connection Between AI and Cancer Research

Cancer research has evolved significantly over time. In 1882, a surgeon performed the first mastectomy to treat breast cancer. By 1950, researchers linked smoking to lung cancer. In 2010, the FDA approved a vaccine to treat prostate cancer.

Now, researchers have found another weapon in the fight against cancer: AI. This graphic from Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust explores the growing role that AI is playing in cancer research.

Cancer Research Publications

The influence of AI is evident in the scientific literature. PubMed, a database of biomedical research, has seen growth in the number of articles where both AI and cancer are a major topic.

Year	Number of Publications
2000	40
2005	129
2010	374
2015	351
2020	1,463
2022	1,789

Source: PubMed (as of Oct 17, 2023)

The number of publications has risen substantially, particularly in the last few years.

The Potential of AI

Researchers believe that AI will positively impact the cancer field in numerous ways. In a 2023 study, authors of peer-reviewed scientific articles on AI and cancer were asked about the future of AI.

Artificial intelligence will…	Likely before 10 years	Likely after 10 years	Unlikely
…grade and classify cancer (n=934)	73.1%	24.8%	2.1%
…provide more reliable diagnostics (n=938)	69.1%	28.7%	2.2%
…improve follow-up services (n=928)	68.4%	29.1%	2.5%
…reduce screening cost (n=932)	67.1%	26.9%	6.0%
…improve prognostics (n=934)	66.8%	29.0%	4.2%
…be widely used in cancer care (n=937)	66.2%	32.3%	1.5%
…aid the discovery of new drugs (n=930)	55.3%	38.0%	6.8%

Source: Cabral et al. (published in 2023, survey was conducted from Oct-Nov 2022). Totals may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

Above all, researchers expect AI to have the highest near-term impact on grading and classifying cancer through image analysis. A cancer’s grade refers to how abnormal the cells look, with more abnormal cells growing more quickly.

Following this, researchers believe AI will provide more reliable diagnostics. Recent developments appear to support these beliefs.

In November 2023, new cancer research showed that AI flagged up to 13% more early stage-breast cancer cases than doctors identified. This is a significant part of the 20% or more cancers that are estimated to be missed using current non-AI screening. Notably, the AI tool was also estimated to save nearly half of the time spent reading breast cancer scans.

The Future of AI-Powered Cancer Care

Analysts project that the global market size of AI in oncology could grow from $891 million in 2022 to $10.7 billion in 2032. Tempus, the owner of the world’s largest AI-driven clinical data library, is positioned to capitalise on this opportunity.

Using AI to gather insights from over 6 million patient records, Tempus helps healthcare professionals better diagnose and treat cancer. Not only that, Tempus earns revenue by charging pharmaceutical companies to access its data library, fueling the discovery of new treatments.

Want to invest in transformative companies like Tempus?