The development and growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted a wide range of reactions, from negative notions of millions of human jobs being lost and even the machines turning against humanity in the manner of the Skynet system in the Terminator films, through to extremely positive hopes that a whole range of problems could be solved or at least aided.

A new development that definitely falls in the second category is the use of AI in clinical diagnosis, since if this can be done more accurately and sooner it can make it easier to treat various conditions with early intervention. This could never be more so than with cancer.

Such a benefit looks closer than ever after a study of an algorithm-based AI system developed by experts at the Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust, the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Imperial College London.

Published in the Lancet Journal eBioMedicine, the research found the system was better than current methods at identifying if unusual grows spotted in CT scans were cancerous. Studying 500 CT scans on large lung nodules, the system proved more adept than the human eye at identifying features that marked out the growths as being cancer.

An assessment tool called Area Under The Curve (AUC) was used to test the accuracy of the method, with an AUC of 1 denoting perfection and 0.5 random guesses. The AI system scored 0.87.

If this indication of effectiveness is backed up by further research and peer reviews, it could mean a Sheffield cancer diagnosis can be arrived at more easily and provide the best chance of an early intervention taking place, helping to save or at least significantly extend the life of the affected patient.

Commenting on the discovery, Dr Benjamin Hunter, a research fellow at Imperial College and an oncology registrar at the Royal Marsden, said: “In the future, we hope it will improve early detection and potentially make cancer treatment more successful by highlighting high-risk patients and fast-tracking them to earlier intervention.”

He added: “Next, we plan to test the technology on patients with large lung nodules in clinic to see if it can accurately predict their risk of lung cancer.”

The importance of early detection in the case of lung cancer cannot be underestimated, not just because it accounts for 21 per cent of cancer cases in the UK, but also because more than half of cases are discovered at stage three or four, when little or nothing can be done to save the patient’s life.

Fortunately, recent research by the Office for National Statistics has shown that the level of smoking, the main cause of lung cancer, was at its lowest level on record in 2021. This means there should be far fewer cases of the disease arising to begin with.

However, having proved effective in the early detection of lung cancer, AI tools may also offer similar benefits when it comes to the early detection of other forms of cancer, raising survival rates across the board.

There are several cancer treatments that can result in hair loss. Although it may not seem like the worst side effect of treatment, it can still be difficult to cope with. However, there are many ways you can make it easier to deal with.

First is to prepare for losing your hair. This can help to give you more control and confidence when your hair does start to fall out and it will come as less of a shock.

Discuss your options with family and friends, talk to them about your worries and ask them for help and support. By being vocal about your thoughts and fears, you are allowing your loved ones to support you as best they can.

They may be able to help you research your options, such as which wigs, hats or scarves you can use, or even help to give you the confidence to go without.

Hair loss support groups are also a great service you can use. This will put you in touch with individuals who are going through the same issues and you will be able to openly talk about what you are going through with people who understand.

When you do start to experience hair loss, it is important to still care for your hair properly. Washing your hair may be scary, however leaving it unwashed can cause it to clump and tangle, which can cause further discomfort.

When brushing, using a soft brush or wide tooth comb is best as it will tug less on your hair which will be less damaging. As your hair is very fragile, excessive styling may cause it to break or fall out faster.

Many people choose to cut or shave their hair once it starts falling out as a way to manage hair loss better. This can prevent it from coming out in long clumps and also makes it easier to wash and care for.

 

If you’re looking for a private oncology clinic, visit Sheffield Oncology today.

There are many ways to treat breast cancer, however, in some cases, a mastectomy may be the best option to effectively remove the cancer.

A mastectomy is usually recommended if the cancer is large, has spread to the entirety of the breast, or if multiple cancerous cells are detected in the breast tissue. Depending on your individual circumstances you may need a double or single mastectomy.

This operation removes the breast, therefore removing any cancerous cells and tissues with it. There are many different types of mastectomy, some remove the entire breast, others remove just the sides and can leave your skin or nipple behind.

After surgery, you may feel you want to undergo other procedures to reconstruct the breast to give yourself more confidence and to aid in recovery.

Breast reconstruction surgery can be done in many different ways. You can have implants put in to replace the removed tissue. This can be done after both a single and double mastectomy to either replace your breasts or to make them both the same size again.

You may also have reconstructive surgery which uses your own body tissue to create a new breast. A surgeon will take skin, fat and muscle from another area of your body and make a breast shape from it.

You may also wish to use a combination of both of these kinds of reconstructive surgery.

If you do not wish for breast reconstruction, there are still other options that are open to you, such as nipple reconstruction.

There are various different ways to reconstruct the nipple. A popular procedure is to have a nipple tattooed onto the breast, whether this is a reconstructed breast or not, which can give the illusion of a nipple.

This can help when dealing with body image issues after surgery and can provide a more natural ‘normal’ look to the chest which some people find helpful.  It is also perfectly okay to undergo no further procedures after a mastectomy and to let your body heal from your operation.

 

If you are looking for a private oncologist, contact Sheffield Oncology today!

Lung cancer often doesn’t show any signs or symptoms in its early stages meaning it can be quite hard to recognise until it has progressed.

However, there are several symptoms that are important to pay attention to as catching the cancer early gives a better chance of private cancer treatment being effective.

Some of the symptoms of lung cancer may present as other illnesses or medical conditions, so it is important to visit a doctor and seek advice if you experience any so you can either receive treatment for the illness you have or to identify it as cancer.

The most common symptom of lung cancer include:

A new, persistent cough that doesn’t go away. This symptom may be ignored as simply being a cold or the flu, however, if it presents for longer than three weeks it is important to seek medical advice as this can be a sign of a much more serious issue.

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing deeply without pain. This can be from doing regular daily activities that wouldn’t usually cause you to be out of breath and in pain such as walking, laughing or coughing.

A loss of appetite and unexpected weight loss are symptoms of cancer that present for most types of cancer, not just lung cancer.

If you find you are suddenly dropping weight for no reason and find you are no longer hungry or able to eat as much as usually, it can be a sign that something is wrong.

Coughing up blood or phlegm that is rust-coloured can be a very serious symptom of lung cancer. If you are coughing up blood you should seek medical help as soon as possible.

Tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion are also symptoms of lung cancer. This means feeling tired or exhausted when you wouldn’t usually, such as being overly tired from simply going about your daily activities.

In the fast-paced world of private oncology, doctors and researchers get to be at the forefront of seeing biotechnology solutions appearing that could provide hope to people with various types of cancer.

One of the most fascinating fields in this regard is the concept of cancer vaccines that can help either treat existing cancer or prevent it from developing in the way other vaccines help to prevent the spread of disease.

The mechanism they use is the same one that has been used since the smallpox vaccine; a vaccine trains the immune system to target specific antigen markers that match those seen on the surface of cancer cells.

There are a few methods for this, but the most promising recent technology involves the use of mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) which was used for many of the vaccines used to help immunise against Covid-19.

With the widespread rollout of mRNA vaccines proving successful against a virus, several researchers have started to work to see the capabilities of the technology and whether it could be used to create treatments for common cancer types or tailored vaccines to help fight specific tumours.

A recent trial of a cancer vaccine tailored towards specific cells found that people who had the injection alongside a course of the cancer medication Keytruda had a 44 per cent reduction in the risk of death or progression compared to just taking the medication.

This Phase IIb trial highlights the potential, although as with all breakthrough treatments, there is a lot of work and research that needs to be undertaken, but it proves that the concept works, is feasible and helps as a complement to existing treatment.

At present, the technology to personalise each vaccine is also very expensive, although the exact price was not named by Moderna and MSD, the companies who have worked together on this particular treatment.

More pharmaceutical companies are looking into their own cancer vaccines, which could mean that for some people, their cancer could be treated by a single injection in the future.