AIIMS Launches iOncology.ai for Early Cancer Detection

In a landmark collaboration between AIIMS, New Delhi, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Pune, the groundbreaking AI platform iOncology.ai has been unveiled. This cutting-edge technology focuses on the early detection of cancer, particularly targeting breast and ovarian cancers, which are prevalent among women in India.

Global Cancer Scenario

• Cancer surpasses cardiovascular diseases in high-income and middle-income countries in terms of fatality rates.
• GLOBOCAN estimates for 2020 show 19.3 million incident cancer cases worldwide, with India ranking third after China and the United States.

Cancer Statistics in India

• A Lancet study predicts a 57.5% increase in cancer cases in India by 2040, reaching 2.08 million.
• In 2022, over 8 lakh deaths in India were attributed to cancer, mainly due to late detection, resulting in a mere 20% survival rate.

About iOncology.ai

• Developed in collaboration with CDAC and the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, iOncology.ai utilizes AI to reduce false negatives in manual cancer diagnosis.
• The platform employs deep learning models and self-learning capabilities to analyze complex medical data with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency.
• Initial focus lies on early detection of breast and ovarian cancers, leveraging a dataset of approximately half a million radiological and histopathological images from AIIMS.

Positive Reception and Future Collaborations

• iOncology.ai has been successfully implemented in five district hospitals, demonstrating its potential for widespread impact.
• It received positive feedback at a Med-Hackathon event during AIIMS Research Day celebrations and is poised for further partnerships with cancer hospitals and research centers across India.

MoU between AIIMS and DGE for Rheumatological Disorders

• The Department of Rheumatology at AIIMS New Delhi has signed an MoU with the Directorate General of Employment, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India.
• This initiative aims to address challenges faced by patients with disabilities due to rheumatological disorders by providing certifications for employable skills and promoting economic upliftment and vocational rehabilitation.