The NHS will start the world’s largest trial for using AI to diagnose breast cancer
The NHS is starting the world’s biggest trial of artificial intelligence (AI) to detect breast cancer, which could lead to faster diagnoses.
AI will analyze two-thirds of at least 700,000 mammograms in England over the next few years to see if it is as accurate and reliable as a radiologist.
If the trial is successful, hospitals may no longer need two radiologists to check each mammogram. Instead, one radiologist could review the scan, with AI giving a second opinion. This could reduce the workload of doctors and shorten the time patients wait for results from tests like X-rays and MRIs.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced the trial on World Cancer Day, also revealing a new cancer plan to improve diagnosis and treatment.
A smaller study in Sweden in 2023, involving 80,000 women, showed that AI is safe to use, reduces radiologists’ workload by about half, and does not increase false positives (incorrect results).
In the new trial, five types of AI will read about 462,000 of the 700,000 mammograms at 30 screening centers starting later this year. The other 238,000 scans will be checked by two radiologists, and the results will be compared.
“This important trial could lead to a big improvement in detecting breast cancer early, giving women quicker and more accurate diagnoses when it’s most important,” said Prof Lucy Chappell, the DHSC’s chief scientific adviser and CEO of the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which is funding the £11m study.
Samantha Harrison, head of strategic evidence at Cancer Research UK, said: “Every year, more cancer cases are diagnosed, and new ideas like this could help reduce pressure on NHS staff and waiting lists. We need more research to understand how AI can assist with cancer screening, so it’s great to see the UK government supporting this trial.”
Prof Katharine Halliday, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, said AI has “huge potential” to help doctors manage the increasing demand for tests, cancer care, and NHS services.
“However, while AI shows a lot of promise, it also carries risks,” she added, recognizing concerns that AI systems must be carefully designed to give reliable results for all women, regardless of their ethnic background.
She also raised concerns that, although the trial will take years to produce results, the NHS is facing a shortage of consultants, which could reach 40% by 2028.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said he will release a national cancer plan to “make Britain a world leader in saving lives from this deadly disease.”
The Guardian reported in September that he was considering this, moving away from the Conservatives’ controversial decision to create a general “major conditions strategy” instead of separate plans for each disease.
Published: 4th February 2025
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