Artificial Intelligence Enhances Polyp Detection in Colorectal Cancer

Artificial intelligence has proven to be an asset in the enhancement of adenoma detection rates during colonoscopy, according to Dr. Shyam Thakkar, who noted that studies show that artificial intelligence can increase adenoma identification by up to 15%.

In an interview with CURE® on the topic of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Thakkar sat down to discuss the importance of raising awareness for colorectal cancer and how ongoing research initiatives aim to improve patient outcomes, referencing the utility of artificial intelligence in care. Thakker is a professor and director of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy in the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, at West Virginia University, in Morgantown.

Transcript:

There's a lot of research going on in colorectal cancer right now, especially towards minimizing the impact of colon cancer that's already developed or later stage cancer. [This is done] by understanding tumor biology, the oncologic therapies that are available to help reduce progression and induce remission of disease. Many of the specialty cancer centers have access to these clinical trials. There have been some landmark trials when it comes to screening colonoscopy in and of itself. [Something] that I would like to bring to attention is trials around artificial intelligence, essentially, using what we call Computer Aided Detection to help us identify polyps at the time of colonoscopy

There was a wonderful study that was published in The New England Journal of Medicine that looked at adenoma detection rate. Adenomas are the precursor-type polyps that can develop into cancer. What we know from that study is that endoscopist that had a higher adenoma detection rate, had a lower interval colorectal cancer development in their patient population for those that underwent colonoscopy. What they were able to demonstrate was the higher your adenoma detection rate was, the less chance of a patient developing colorectal cancer in your population. That's one of the reasons why artificial intelligence helps us so much.

What we know from the studies around artificial intelligence is that it can take anyone's adenoma detection rate and give it a bump up. We've seen this bump typically [at] about a 10% to 15% increase in their adenoma detection rate, and the increase in adenomas per colonoscopy that are detected are up to 50% more. The long and short of it is that when it comes to recent research that has been impactful in screening colonoscopy, research and the development around artificial intelligence to help endoscopists find polyps and maximize the application of colonoscopy to minimize the risk of colorectal cancer developing in a patient that's already had a colonoscopy.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.