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Friday, October 19, 2018
Google Actually Created Cancer-Detecting AI with 99% Accuracy
The first-fruits of its burgeoning health initiatives can be seen in the company’s latest Apple Watch Series 4 models, which boast a number of medical and emergency health tools — such as an FDA-approved electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor, heart rate monitor, fall detection, SOS and more.
But while Cupertino forges ahead with its work in the medical, health, and technology fields, just a few cities over in Mountain View, California, Google is moving mountainswith its own ongoing work on advanced machine-learning apps for medicine.
LYNA Tech for Cancer Detection
Google recently achieved a major breakthrough with regards to its work on deep machine-learning for medical applications.
With 99 percent accuracy, the company’s most up-to-date AI algorithm — dubbed LYNA, or Lymph Node Assistant — is not only able to detect metastatic breast cancer, but can even accurately highlight the location of cancerous cell formations and other “suspicious regions within Lymph nodes” in the body.
Citing a study published in the highly-respected JAMA Journal of Medicine, Google notes that human practitioners — unaided by technology, and when placed under time constraints — fail to diagnoses (or misdiagnose) metastatic cancer in 62 percent of cases.
Human-in-the-Loop Automation
While Google’s LYNA technology obviously won’t be able to replace human practitioners for a number of reasons, it could potentially offer these health professionals an important and highly-accurate tool to facilitate and fortify their findings.
As LoupVentures founder and former Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, points out, Google’s technology will enable doctors to “more accurately diagnose conditions in less time” via the unique human-machine collaboration.
According to Munster, this is all part of a much broader and burgeoning concept known as Human-in-the-loop Automation — where doctors and health professionals work with emerging, machine-learning technologies, like LYNA, to enhance their human capabilities.
“Human-in-the-loop automation involves human labor augmented – not replaced – by machines,” Munster notes, adding that, “In this case, a machine would make a first pass. screening samples and flagging possible positives for human review.”
Promising Results & Restrictions
Citing a study conducted by Google where six board-certified pathologists worked with LYNA in their daily practice, all reported that the technology not only reduced the amount of review time required for each slide, but overall made the diagnosis easier for them.
There’s still a long way to go before a product like LYNA will be commercially available, especially considering all the clinical trials and FDA hurdles it would have to pass along the way.
But, bearing the limitations of scientific research and controlled studies in mind, these early results are nonetheless promising and clearly point towards a future whereby integrating deep machine-learning and human medicine might dramatically improve diagnostic accuracy.
A specific protein, called NR2F1, could improve treatment of breast cancer and spare patients from unnecessary treatments(Credit: Syda_Productions/Depositphotos)
In an outstanding breakthrough, an international team of scientists has discovered a protein biomarker than can predict whether a patient's metastasized breast cancer is dormant or about to turn deadly. The research will not only help doctors better treat patients suffering from breast cancer, but also points to new treatments that may be able to stimulate dormancy in cancer cells before they metastasize.
Breast cancer is still the most frequently appearing cancer seen in women, and while it can be treated effectively if caught early, it is also incredibly deadly if it is allowed to metastasize. Bone marrow is the most common first metastatic point in the spread of breast cancer.
Doctors can currently test a patient's bone marrow for residual disseminated tumor cells (DTCs), but these markers are not the most reliable signifier of how active the disease is. Around 60 percent of patients with identifiable DTCs have been found to remain relapse-free for up to five years or more.
The new study set out to investigate what could be causing these metastatic DTCs to lay dormant for many years. The exciting revelation was that a specific protein, called NR2F1, seemed to be the key to modulating the activity of cancer cells. When a high volume of NR2F1 was found in the bone marrow cancer cells, the patients lived longer and the cancer remained dormant, but if no, or very little, NR2F1 was found in the metastasized cancer cells then the cancer spread faster and the patient died sooner.
"This research shows that the survival advantage in these patients is due to high levels of this protein," says lead researcher Julio Aguirre-Ghiso. "Tests using this protein marker could further improve curative treatment of breast cancer, sparing patients from unnecessary treatments. Identifying patients with disseminated disease that is not yet symptomatic and characterizing it for potential dormancy or metastatic recurrence is a game changer."
The benefits of being able to effectively identify patients with more or less aggressive metastatic characteristics simply through a bone marrow test are undeniably significant. But, perhaps ever more exciting, is the potential for harnessing this process and inducing dormancy. Other studies targeting prostate cancer have already revealed that increasing levels of NR2F1 may induce dormancy in that cancer, and research is already underway into drugs that can upregulate NR2F1 to potentially stifle cancer metastasis.
"This opens the way for testing new treatments that prevent metastasis by inducing dormancy or eradicating the dormant disseminated cancer cells that have not yet initiated metastatic growth," says Aguirre-Ghiso on possible future research directions.
In the short term though, this biomarker discovery can rapidly assist doctors in evaluating the potential aggressiveness of breast cancer once it has metastasized to the bone. While metastatic breast cancer currently has no effective cure, this discovery is an exciting step towards better managing the disease.
As the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, it's important to know the symptoms of colon cancer so you can do your best to catch it early, when it's most treatable. Some include cramping belly pain, dark or bright red blood in your stool, or a change in your stool frequency, like persistent diarrhea or constipation. Whole-body symptoms like unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, or unusual tiredness may also occur in colon cancer. Iron deficiency anemia and jaundice, which are complications of colon cancer, may also develop.
Research has shown that there is a significant delay between when people notice signs of colon cancer and when it is actually diagnosed. This lag time, which averages around five months, could result in a colon cancer spreading further and lowering the chance of a cure. While it's true that most people with these symptoms do not have colon cancer, it's never safe to assume that's the case.
Illustration by Verywell
Anatomy
In order to understand what colon cancer symptoms might feel like, it helps to briefly review the anatomy of the colon.
The colon makes up most of the large intestine, which is approximately six feet in length, the last six inches or so of which are comprised of the rectum and anal canal. Many people think of the small intestine as being "on top" and the large intestine as being down below, but there is actually overlap, and much of the large intestine lies above the small intestine.
The colon is shaped like a lean-to, with the ascending colon traveling up the right side of your abdomen, the transverse colon traveling horizontally across your upper abdomen, and the descending colon traveling from just under your ribs on the left, down to the rectum and anus.
Frequent Symptoms
In the early stages of colon cancer, people often have no symptoms. This is why regular screening beginning at 45 (and earlier for those with risk factors) is an important investment in your health.
It's key to note, as well, that the symptoms mentioned below are by no means a "slam dunk" clue of a colon cancer diagnosis. In fact, they could indicate another problem in the bowels like an infection (for example, acute diverticulitis), hemorrhoids, or inflammation (for example, Crohn's disease). This is why being evaluated by your doctor is critical.
Colon cancer symptoms come in two general varieties, local symptoms (based on where in the colon the tumor is located) and systemic or whole-body symptoms.
Local
Local colon cancer symptoms affect your bathroom habits and the colon itself. Some of the common local symptoms of colon cancer include:
Changes in Your Bowel Habits
There is no such thing as a universally "normal" bowel movement. In fact, your doctor really only cares about what is normal for you. In other words, everyone’s stool size, color, and consistency are unique. In the end, different people have different bowels habits.
The important thing to be alert for is any change in your normal pattern of bowel movements.
The nature of a bowel movement change can be described in the following ways:
Change in stool frequency: A persistent change (more than a few days) in stool frequency is one potential sign of colon cancer. So, for example, if it is normal for a person to have three bowel movements per day, and he or she is having only one per day, or one every other day, this may signal constipation. On the other hand, another person's typical bowel pattern may be to have a bowel movement every other day. In this case, having one bowel movement per day may be unusually frequent, and it may signal a change in typical bowel habits.
Change in stool shape: Thin or narrow stools, often described as ribbon- or pencil-like, may also be a sign of colon cancer. In an otherwise healthy person, thin stools may be caused by a narrowing of the colon, also called a partial blockage of the colon due to colon cancer. Think of your colon as a hollow tube, like a drinking straw: If a tumor is growing inside the colon, it can start to obstruct the flow of stool through it, just like a pea inside a drinking straw would block or slow the flow of fluids.
Changes in stool color: Bleeding in the colon due to colon cancer may result in bright red or dark red blood in the stools. More specifically, if bleeding is in the ascending (right-side) colon, the stools may be more maroon or purple in color since the bleeding is occurring farther away from the rectum. If the tumor is in the descending (left-side) colon, the bleeding tends to result in bright red stools (the passage of fresh, red blood is called hematochezia).
Difficulty with stool evacuation: A persistent feeling that you need to have a bowel movement, even when you just had one (called tenesmus), may be a symptom of colon cancer.
Intermittent (Alternating) Constipation and Diarrhea
It's not uncommon for colon cancer to result in symptoms of alternating diarrhea and constipation. This may occur when there is a partial obstruction in the bowel due to a tumor. Constipation may occur due to difficulty in stool passing the obstruction, followed by diarrhea when backed up contents are then passed.
Abdominal Discomfort
Abdominal pain or cramping may occur for several reasons in those who have colon cancer. Most frequently, abdominal pains or cramps are associated with cancers on theleft side of your colon. Cramps may also be associated with advanced colon cancer: As the tumor grows through the colon or bleeds, it may irritate the lining of the abdomen.
Gas and Bloating
While it's normal to pass gas up to 23 times per day, excessive gas and bloating can be a sign of colon cancer. However, dietary triggers (for example, carbonated beverages, dairy products, and high-fiber foods) and digestive disorders (for example, inflammatory bowel disease) are more common culprits.
If gas and bloating are due to colon cancer, they tend to be late symptoms caused by an obstructing tumor in the colon. Bloating may also occur as a result of cancer spreading to nearby lymph nodes.
Nausea and/or Vomiting
When nausea and vomiting are symptoms of colon cancer, it's usually because a tumor is causing a bowel obstruction, usually in the proximal colon (meaning the end closer to the small intestines). Nausea and vomiting may occur at any stage of colon cancer but are more common with advanced disease.
It's important to remember that the occurrence of nausea and vomiting alone, without other colon cancer symptoms, is unlikely an indication of cancer. There are lots of reasons for feeling sick and throwing up. That being said, if nausea and vomiting are accompanied by other worrisome signs such as constipation, abdominal cramping, and/or abdominal distension, colon cancer could be a cause.
Systemic
Systemic colon cancer symptoms are those that affect your whole body and include:
Unintentional Weight Loss
If you lose weight without trying, you may, at first, be pleased. But unintentional weight loss is an important symptom that shouldn't be ignored. Colon cancer is only one of several serious conditions that might first declare themselves with unexpected weight loss.
Unintentional weight loss is described as losing 5 percent or more of body weight over a six- to 12-month period. For example, if a 150-pound woman lost 7.5 pounds in a year for no apparent reason, she should contact her physician.
The basis behind unintentional weight loss with cancer is that tumors use your body's blood and nutrients to thrive and grow. In addition, some tumors release chemicals that increase the body's metabolism, which can further lead to unexplained weight loss.
Loss of Appetite
The idea of a tumor as its own life form may also partially explain why many people with cancer do not want to eat; unusual loss of appetite is another sign to look out for. While the loss of appetite most often occurs with advanced cancers, it has been noted in some people with early colon cancer.
Unexplained Fatigue
Extreme tiredness is a nonspecific symptom but is very common in people with more advanced cancers. Cancer fatigue differs from "ordinary" fatigue in that it's not usually relieved by rest and isn't counteracted by a good cup of coffee.
Feeling "Off"
It's not uncommon for people to have a sense that something is amiss in their body, even if they don't have specific symptoms to back up that feeling. Trust your intuition. If you are concerned that something is wrong, it could be. Make an appointment and talk with your doctor.
Rare Symptoms
If colon cancer is not diagnosed until its advanced stages, it may cause one or more of these symptoms:
Fever
If a tumor in the colon breaks through the intestines, an abscess, which causes a fever, may occur.
Air Bubbles in Urine
Air bubbles in your urine (called pneumaturia) may occur if a tumor in the colon invades into the bladder.
Problems Breathing
If the colon cancer has spread to the lungs, shortness of breath, coughing, and/or chest pain may occur.
Headache and Neurological Problems
If the colon cancer spreads to the brain or spinal cord, a headache, vision changes, confusion, and/or seizures may occur.
Bone pain
Fractures, bone pain, and high calcium levels (seen on a blood test) may occur if cancer spreads to the bones.
Complications
There are a few complications that may arise as a result of colon cancer.
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Due to microscopic bleeding from a tumor, iron deficiency anemia may occur as the first sign of colon cancer. Anemia is diagnosed with a blood test, called a complete blood count (CBC), and may cause symptoms of unusual tiredness, dizziness, palpitations, and shortness of breath.
Bowel Obstruction
A bowel obstruction from colon cancer means that the tumor is physically blocking the intestines. Depending on the severity of the blockage, solids, liquids, and even gas may be prevented from passing through the colon. This can lead to painful stomach cramps, bloating, and constipation, and sometimes nausea and/or vomiting.
While a nasogastric tube may be placed temporarily to reduce swelling and remove the fluid and gas buildup of a bowel obstruction, surgery to remove the obstructing tumor or a stent placement (to open up the blocked area) is often required.
Jaundice
Another potential complication of colon cancer is jaundice, a condition in which the skin and whites of the eyes take on a yellowish appearance. Jaundice may occur when colon cancer spreads to the liver, a common site of metastasis. It may also occur due to pressure from a colon cancer on important structures related to the liver.
When to See a Doctor
While many people have heard that having blood in their stools may be a sign of colon cancer, just about any change in your bowel habits is worth evaluating. While you may be anxious about the possibility of having colon cancer, early diagnosis offers you the best opportunity for treatment success. In addition, there is a possibility that something entirely else is going on—something less serious than cancer.
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