An artificial intelligence tool detected a case of early-stage pancreatic cancer in a Chinese patient, a finding that doctors might have otherwise missed, at the Affiliated Peoples Hospital of Ningbo University in Ningbo, China. The technology flagged a routine CT scan of Qiu Sijun, 57, a retired bricklayer, who was initially at the hospital for a diabetes checkup.

Mr. Qiu was contacted by Dr. Zhu Kelei, head of the hospital's pancreatic department, three days after his routine checkup and asked to return for a follow-up. "I knew it couldn’t be anything good," Mr. Qiu recalled. Dr. Zhu subsequently removed the tumor after the A.I. identified it.

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to detect in its early stages, often presenting with vague symptoms or none at all until it has progressed significantly. This late detection contributes to its high mortality rate. The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is around 10%, according to the American Cancer Society. Early detection, when the tumor is small and has not spread, significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and long-term survival.

The A.I. tool is currently being tested at the hospital using self-service kiosks. It analyzes CT scans for subtle indicators of pancreatic cancer that may be overlooked by human radiologists. Dr. Zhu believes the technology has the potential to revolutionize pancreatic cancer screening, particularly for high-risk individuals. "This A.I. offers a chance to catch the disease earlier, when treatment is more effective," he said.

The A.I. system was developed by [omitted for privacy], and trained on a large dataset of CT scans from patients with and without pancreatic cancer. The algorithm is designed to identify patterns and anomalies indicative of the disease.

While the results are promising, experts caution that further research is needed to validate the A.I.'s accuracy and effectiveness in larger, more diverse populations. Dr. [omitted for privacy], a leading oncologist not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of rigorous clinical trials. "A.I. is a powerful tool, but it must be validated to ensure it improves patient outcomes and doesn't lead to unnecessary interventions," Dr. [omitted for privacy] said.

The Affiliated Peoples Hospital of Ningbo University plans to continue testing the A.I. tool and gather more data on its performance. The hospital hopes to eventually integrate the technology into its standard screening protocols, making it more accessible to patients at risk of pancreatic cancer.