RPI and Albany Medical College received a $3.3 million grant to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve breast cancer treatment. The cash will be utilized by the researchers to create a brand-new imaging technique that can be applied to study tumor heterogeneities. With the use of this new technology, it may be possible to recognize cancers that are more likely to withstand therapy and to create new treatment plans that are customized to the unique traits of each tumor.
Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Albany Medical College have received a $3.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve breast cancer treatment.
The grant will support the researchers’ efforts to develop a new imaging technology that can be used to analyze tumor heterogeneities. Tumor heterogeneities are areas within a tumor that have different characteristics, such as cell type, growth rate, and response to treatment.
According to the researchers, this novel imaging technology could be used to spot cancers that are more likely to resist therapy and to create fresh treatment plans that are customized to the unique features of each tumor.
“This research has the potential to revolutionize the way we treat breast cancer,” said Xavier Intes, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical engineering at RPI and co-director of the Center for Modeling, Simulation, and Imaging in Medicine.
“By understanding the tumor heterogeneity, we can develop more effective treatments that target the specific weaknesses of each tumor.”
The researchers will use the grant to develop and test the new imaging technology in animal models of breast cancer. If successful, the technology could be used to improve breast cancer treatment in humans.
It is not the first time that AI has been used to improve breast cancer treatment. In 2022, Google Health and a mammography AI vendor, iCAD, Inc., began a partnership to improve breast cancer detection. Through the collaboration, the two organizations aim to add mammography AI technology from Google Health to the iCAD portfolio of breast imaging AI solutions. The focus of the partnership is to advance innovation and expand access to mammography resources through cloud-based solutions.
Further, iCAD aims to use Google Cloud infrastructure to extend cloud-hosted mammography solutions to underserved regions.
The use of AI in breast cancer treatment is still in its early stages, but the potential benefits are significant. By combining AI with other technologies, such as imaging and drug discovery, researchers are working to develop new and more effective treatments for breast cancer.
