Mahidol University

Korea opens access to cancer data of 2 million patients Researchers in South Korea can now access an expanded big-data repository on 2.26 million cancer patients. The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), together with the National Cancer Center and the Korea Health Information Service, has recently announced the addition of more data to the K-CURE Public Cancer Library. According to a press release, access to K-CURE data, which includes anonymised data on registered cancer patients, insurance eligibility and claims, and mortality, has been expanded to cover data from 2012 to 2020. Additionally, the dataset on COVID-19 infection and vaccination from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has been added to the public data library. After securing the necessary permits, researchers can access public cancer data through designated data utilisation centres . Korea launches $25M AI drug discovery project The MOHW has also recently announced that it started a joint project with the Ministry of Science and ICT to discover and develop new drugs using AI technology. In a statement, the ministry said the 34.8 billion won ($25 million) project will build an AI-driven ADME/T prediction model to discover new drug candidates. This will be developed through an AI training platform based on federated learning, a machine learning technique that taps into data from multiple, decentralised sources without exchanging or moving them. The project, run by the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, has chosen 20 participating organisations, including pharmaceutical companies and universities, to enhance and verify the resulting AI model. Thailand's Siriraj Hospital deploys AI for lymphoma diagnosis The Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital of Mahidol University has recently deployed AI to support the diagnosis of lymphoma. Based on a press statement, the hospital started utilising an object detection algorithm to spot and count centroblast cells in Hematoxylin and Eosin-stained whole slide images. "This development is significant for lymphoma grading, facilitating more precise patient classification into stages 1, 2, or 3 based on the progress of the disease," it explained. Siriraj Hospital has been deploying AI across its departments since 2018. By year-end, it plans to introduce AI to analyse mammograms and CT brain scans.

SHENZHEN, China, May 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- By 2040, the burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) is projected to increase to 3.2 million new cases and 1.6 million deaths per year representing a 66% and 71% rise in new cases and deaths respectively relative to 2020. To better address the global burden of CRC and reduce its impact, BGI Genomics has launched the second edition of its global CRC awareness report, covering 1,938 respondents from Brazil (306), China (367), Poland (300), Saudi Arabia (300), Thailand (362), and Uruguay (303): CRC Screening Gaps Vary Globally: Nearly half (49.3%) of global respondents have never undergone CRC screening, with the highest proportions in Saudi Arabia (62.0%) and Poland (61.0%). Preference for Fecal Testing Over Colonoscopy: Although colonoscopies are more recognized (33.4%), fecal tests at healthcare facilities are preferred (31.8%), reflecting a trend towards non-invasive methods. Cost and Fear are Determinants of Screening Choice: Fear of colonoscopy (18.2%) and screening costs (17.7%) are major barriers to CRC screening. Poland (24.7%) and Uruguay (21.0%) show the highest fear of colonoscopy, while Thailand (24.5%) and Brazil (20%) indicate the most concern about costs. Medical Advice and Family History Drive CRC Screening: Doctor's recommendations are a major driver for CRC screening (30.5% globally), with Uruguay showing the highest adherence (44.1%). Additionally, those with a family history of CRC are more proactive in screening (64.5%), compared to the general population (35.0%). Prof. Varut Lohsiriwat from Mahidol University offers his insights to this report. He suggested: "The essence of effective cancer screening lies in the acceptance and adherence of the patient to the screening method. The best screening method is the one that the patient accepts and adheres to because that's the method that will actually benefit them." Dr. Zhu Shida, BGI Genomics Deputy GM, notes: "At BGI Genomics, we focused our efforts on developing advanced molecular biology testing techniques to close the gap [between acceptance and accessibility]. The ultimate goal is to transform colorectal cancer from a life-threatening disease into a manageable condition through widespread, early screening and intervention." For more region-level comparisons, access the full BGI Genomics 2024 State of CRC Awareness Report. All data involved in this report come from the results of an online survey project conducted by BGI Genomics. It only surveys awareness related to colorectal cancer and does not involve personally identifiable data. SOURCE BGI Genomics Co., Ltd.

CU Medicine develops severe hypoglycemia predictive AI Researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine) have utilised anonymised big data from the Hospital Authority Data Collaboration Laboratory to develop a new machine learning model that can predict the risk of severe hypoglycemia among older diabetic adults. They analysed about 1.5 million records of more than 360,000 senior individuals with diabetes from 2013-2018. Based on the XGBoost machine learning algorithm, the risk prediction model uses 258 predictors, including demographics, admissions, and diagnoses, to predict severe hypoglycemia events requiring hospitalisation in the next 12 months. Besides prolonged hospitalisation, severe hypoglycemia is also associated with an increased risk of falls, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and all-cause mortality, CU Medicine noted. Achieving an 85% positive predictive value in a study, the model can be potentially integrated into EHR decision support systems for pre-emptive interventions, such as correcting the timing and dosage of insulin injections or changing to diabetes medications with lower hypoglycemic potential. Indian military looks to develop diagnosis support AI India's Armed Forces Medical Services has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh for the joint research and development of technology solutions addressing the health problems of soldiers deployed in difficult terrains. Under their memorandum of understanding, IIT Kanpur will also help the Armed Forces Medical College's Armed Forces Centre for Computational Medicine in creating diagnostic AI models. Alodokter joins Indonesia's digital health mission Digital health company Alodokter is cooperating with the Indonesian government in expanding access to health services across the country through telemedicine. It signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health to collaborate in such areas as raising healthcare workers' capacity by providing professional credit units; health communications and education; conducting health development surveys; and providing telemedicine services. Mahidol Univesity to trial Japanese endoscopic AI Mahidol University in Thailand is collaborating with Japanese startup AI Medical Service (AIM) to assess the applicability of the latter's endoscopic AI in the Thai setting. This comes as AIM looks to expand its market presence globally after receiving regulatory approvals in Japan and Singapore over the past four months. Indonesian university to test Korean medical AI for lung disease, stroke diagnosis The Universitas Gadjah Mada Academic Hospital in Indonesia will also conduct a clinical trial of three diagnosis support AI from South Korean medical AI company, Deepnoid. Under their memorandum of understanding, the hospital will be testing Deepnoid's diagnosis aid software for multiple lung diseases, lung nodules, and brain aneurysms for 18 months. This comes as the hospital, which saw a two-fold rise in X-ray, MRI, and CT readings over the past three years, is bracing for growing demand for imaging while only having 22 readers to date. The results of this clinical trial will inform Deepnoid's application for a regulatory licence in Indonesia, the company shared.