AI to help predict breast cancer risk earlier under new global screening guidelines

New Delhi: Women could benefit from earlier, more personalized breast cancer screening after new global guidelines recommended adding artificial intelligence to mammogram risk assessments starting at age 35.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 33 cancer treatment centers in the US, issued the update with the aim of predicting each patient’s unique risk more accurately and adjusting screening protocols accordingly.

Dr. Raman Narang of MOC Cancer Care and Research Centre, New Delhi, called the change a shift from a ‘detection first’ to a ‘prediction first’ approach. While mammograms have historically been used from age 40 to find existing cancers, the new guidelines support using AI algorithms at age 35 to forecast future risk.

The update is especially relevant for India, where breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women and delayed diagnosis remains a leading cause of mortality. “What makes breast cancer such a big problem here is the delay in diagnosis caused by low awareness, unavailability of screening facilities, and no risk stratification,” Dr. Narang said.

AI-powered screening offers several advantages. It can identify high-risk patients even when there is no family history or known genetic markers, which applies to most breast cancer cases. It also enables risk-based screening, reducing the need for universal testing and helping resources reach those who need them most.

By predicting risk earlier and more precisely, the guidelines open the door for timely intervention and tailored follow-up for women starting at a younger age.