The first case of Lung Cancer detected by AI in Malaysia

Doctors in Malaysia have successfully diagnosed and treated the country’s first lung cancer case identified through artificial intelligence (AI).

The Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM) reported that the patient, a 67-year-old male smoker who was asymptomatic, had a routine health screening at a private hospital in Klang Valley.

An AI-enhanced chest X-ray detected a suspicious shadow in the upper left lung, leading to further examination by the medical team.

Dr. Tho Lye Mun, the president of LCNM and the clinical oncologist involved in the case, stated: “The AI system was able to detect subtle changes that could have easily been overlooked”.

Tho Lye Mun is the Co-Founder of the Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM) and serves as a Senior Consultant Oncologist at Beacon Hospital.

Further tests, including an elevated CEA tumor marker and a biopsy, confirmed the diagnosis of primary lung cancer.

Additional staging scans revealed that the cancer had not metastasized, enabling the patient to undergo a minimally invasive surgical procedure (upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection) conducted by Prof. Dr. Anand Sachithanandan.

Prof. Anand Sachithanandan is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Malaya and a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon with a clinical focus on lung cancer and the use of lung cancer screening to enable earlier detection and stage shift. He is also a co-founder and the immediate past president of the Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM).

The patient was discharged just three days after a successful operation, demonstrating progress in lung cancer management.

This milestone results from a collaboration between LCNM and AstraZeneca. The partnership, which started with Qualitas Health Group in 2020, pioneered AI-enabled community screening for lung cancer and expanded in 2023 to include additional partners.

The advanced cloud-based software, using deep learning algorithms, has been implemented at select private hospitals in Klang Valley and the National Cancer Institute (IKN) in Putrajaya.

According to the Malaysian National Cancer Registry Report 2017-2021, 95% of lung tumors in Malaysia are detected at advanced stages (III and IV), highlighting the need for improved screening methods.

AstraZeneca, alongside the global Lung Ambition Alliance (LAA), is committed to reducing lung cancer mortality through effective screening programs. Lung cancer remains a significant health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which account for 67% of cases and 69% of deaths worldwide.

In Malaysia, where lung cancer is the second most common cancer among men and third among women, efforts are underway to enhance early screening and diagnosis.

Mr. Vinod Narayanan, Country President of AstraZeneca Malaysia, said, “By leveraging AI-enhanced chest X-rays (AI-CXRs) and low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans, we aim to make lung cancer screening more accessible and cost-effective.

It’s essential to screen both smokers and non-smokers with significant risk factors to ensure timely and accurate diagnoses. Our goal is to improve patient outcomes and reduce lung cancer mortality.”

Dr. Tho highlighted the complexity of cancer care, noting that it often requires collaboration among multiple specialists, including oncologists, chest physicians, radiologists, nuclear medicine experts, and pathologists.

He emphasized the value of such coordination and commended AstraZeneca for its commitment to improving the cancer care pathway. He also encouraged more public-private partnerships to drive meaningful advancements in treatment.

Read further.

Learn about Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer on oncodaily.com