June 25, Zhejiang Provincial Cancer Hospital jointlyAlibabaDharma InstitutePosted.The world's firstgastric cancerImaging Screening AI Models DAMO GRAPEIn addition, the company was the first to utilize plain CT images to identify early gastric cancer lesions, and has dramatically increased the detection rate of gastric cancer in a large-scale clinical study of nearly 100,000 people in collaboration with 20 hospitals across the country.
The paper was published on June 24 in the top international journal Nature Medicine.
According to the statistics of National Cancer Center, there are about 360,000 new cases of gastric cancer and 260,000 deaths in China every year, and the number of deaths ranks third among all malignant tumors.If detected and intervened in the early stages, the 5-year survival rate of patients can be significantly improved from less than 30% to more than 90%.
Zhang Ling, corresponding author of the paper and senior algorithm expert of Dharma Institute, introduced that plain scan CT is usually considered unsuitable for examining hollow organs such as the gastrointestinal tract. The joint team broke through the industry's inherent knowledge and constructed the largest multi-center dataset of flat-scan CT images of gastric cancer in the world, overcoming challenges such as large changes in the stomach's morphology, interference from internal contents, and early foci limited to the mucosal layer.
DAMO GRAPE achieved a sensitivity and specificity of 85.1% and 96.8%, respectively, an improvement of 21.8% and 14.0%, respectively, compared to radiologists.For the first time, this makes it possible to identify early gastric cancer with a CT scan.It also allows "flat-scan CT + AI" to go a step further in multi-cancer screening.
The first model proposed in the study provides a new solution to the challenge of gastric cancer prevention and treatment. The AI was used to initially screen patients with a CT scan of the abdomen, and then to confirm the diagnosis through gastroscopy for those identified by the AI as being at high risk for gastric cancer.
The DAMO GRAPE model accurately and efficiently identifies people at high risk for gastric cancer in a simulated opportunistic screening trial at two area hospitals.Gastric cancer detection rates reached 24.5% and 17.7%, respectively.In addition, about 40% of the detected cases were asymptomatic gastric cancer patients.
Dr. Hu Can, the first author of the paper and a gastric surgeon at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, introduced the DAMO GRAPE model, which is expected to fill the gap in opportunistic detection of early gastric cancer in imaging examinations.
In the current study, the team retrospectively analyzed CT images of 11 patients before the diagnosis of gastric cancer.AI model found to detect stomach cancer 2 to 10 months earlier.
For example, one 45-year-old patient was diagnosed with locally advanced gastric cancer after undergoing a gastroscopy for abdominal discomfort, while the patient had undergone a CT scan of the chest and abdomen six months earlier for other conditions, and no abdominal lesions were reported at that time. Hu imported this old film into the AI model, suggesting the presence of gastric cancer lesions. In other words, the patient would have had the opportunity to be diagnosed and treated earlier if the AI had automatically screened him six months earlier.
"The AI model is a major medical breakthrough that makes image-based gastric cancer screening possible for the first time. After all, even the most sophisticated radical surgery is not as effective as screening and early diagnosis and treatment. Zhejiang Swell and Dharma Institute have already deployed the AI model in a number of gastric cancer-prone areas across the country.The next step is to expand the program both domestically and internationally.." Cheng Xiangdong, the paper's lead corresponding author, secretary of the Party committee of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital and vice president of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, said.
1AI learned from the Alibaba Darmo Academy announcement that Zhejiang Cancer Hospital and Alibaba Darmo Academy will rely on this AI technology to take the lead in theZhejiang, AnhuiMass population screening for gastric cancer is carried out, among others.