Artificial Intelligence Achieves Dermatologist-Level Skin Cancer Classification

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A team of researchers from the Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory employed a deep learning algorithm developed by Google (GoogleNet Inception v3 CNN architecture) to create an automated system for the classification of skin cancer. The algorithm that was already able to recognise objects from 1.28 million images, was trained using nearly 130,000 clinical images of more than 2,000 diseases. In a paper published on Nature, the researchers described how they employed over 370 biopsy-confirmed images to assess the artificial intelligence performance against 21 board-certified dermatologists. Notably, the algorithm matched the sensitivity and specificity of the experts’ opinion in classifying correctly keratinocyte carcinomas, melanomas classification and benign lesions. The new system paves the way of accessible and cost-effective applications that will enable recognition of skin lesions with the use of such devices as smartphones.

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Image Credit: Stanford/Matt Young

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Picks of the Week: Stomach cancer, fluconazole, and a few systematic reviews!

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Sharing news within Among Doctors network is a way of appraising and curating evidence, contributing to the dissemination of knowledge with your trusted network. Let’s have a look at what news have been shared lately:

  • Diet, nutrition, physical activity and stomach cancer
    The World Cancer Research Fund released a new report on stomach cancer linking for the first time drinking alcohol, eating processed meat and being overweight to an increased risk of developing stomach cancers.
  • FDA evaluating study examining use of oral fluconazole in pregnancy
    FDA is evaluating the results of a Danish study that conclude there is a possible increased risk of miscarriage with the use of oral fluconazole for yeast infections.
  • Cochrane Systematic Review: A comparison of different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of infective endocarditis
    Limited and very low quality evidence suggested that there were no conclusive differences between antibiotic regimens in terms of cure rates or other relevant clinical outcomes.
  • Association between anticholinergic medication and cognition, brain metabolism, and brain atrophy in cognitively normal older adults
    Anticholinergic medication use was linked with risk for future progression to mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Cochrane Systematic Review: Mobile phone-based interventions for smoking cessation
    The current evidence supports a beneficial impact of mobile phone-based smoking cessation interventions on six-month cessation outcomes.
  • Exposure to advertisements and electronic cigarette use among US middle and high school students
    The odds of electronic cigarette use increased with greater exposure to electronic cigarette advertising, with Internet advertisements having the strongest effect.

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Picks of the Week: Primary care, mental health and more!

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A plethora of news were shared on the Among Doctors network last week by fellow physicians; a result of a community which starts to grow with members wishing to share what they have appraised. Primary care and mental health, asthma over diagnosis, updates on the Zika virus and a new report on eHealth from the European office of the WHO. Let’s see the latest top news:

  • Getting Primary Care at the Psychiatrist’s Office
    People with severe mental illnesses are more likely to die prematurely than those without, and it’s often from treatable chronic diseases—in part because many, don’t receive regular medical care.
  • Overdiagnosis of asthma in children in primary care: a retrospective analysis
    Overdiagnosis of childhood asthma is common in primary care, leading to unnecessary treatment, disease burden, and impact on quality of life. However, only in a small percentage of children is a diagnosis of asthma confirmed by lung function tests.
  • From innovation to implementation – eHealth in the WHO European Region
    A new report on e-Health in the WHO European Region reveals that tangible progress has been made, with clear benefits for many countries. In most Member States, it has become commonplace for technology to be used to deliver health services and public health improvements, such as electronic health records.
  • Effects of Long-Term Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin on Fractures and Bone Density in Non-Pregnant Adults
    Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for 3–6 months may not increase the risk of fractures, but longer exposure for up to 24 months may adversely affect bone mineral density (BMD). Clinicians should consider monitoring BMD in adults on long-term LMWH who are at increased risk of bone loss or fracture.
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