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Mass General Brigham cancer research developments

Overview

Mass General Brigham has introduced new initiatives aimed at improving cancer diagnosis and patient prognosis through multidisciplinary coordination and artificial intelligence.

The institution launched the Early Detection and Diagnosis Program (EDDx), led by oncology specialist Lecia Sequist, MD, MPH. This program utilizes a centralized model to coordinate oncologists, radiologists, and surgeons to address incidental findings in medical imaging, such as CT scans or MRIs, with the goal of accelerating the diagnostic process and providing longitudinal care.

Following this, researchers at the same institution, in collaboration with partners such as Harvard Medical School, developed an artificial intelligence system called FAHR-Face. Published in The Lancet Digital Health, the tool uses two functions, FAHR-FaceAge and FAHR-FaceSurvival, to predict cancer survival rates and estimate biological age from a single facial photograph. The model was trained on over 40 million facial images across diverse ethnicities and ages.

In testing involving 3,820 US cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, the system demonstrated significant predictive capabilities. FAHR-FaceAge estimates biological age by analyzing features such as the forehead, temples, and wrinkles around the mouth and nose; patients appearing at least five years older than their chronological age faced a 21% higher risk of death. FAHR-FaceSurvival predicts survival chances by focusing on the area beneath the eyes and around the nasal bridge. In the study, patients in the highest-risk group were three times more likely to die during the study period compared to those in the lowest-risk group.

Researchers noted that lifestyle factors, including smoking, heavy alcohol use, and drug use, are visibly associated with increased biological aging in the face. The tool is intended to “provide objective, quantitative data to supplement clinical judgment rather than replace it,” potentially assisting clinicians in assessing physical resilience before recommending intensive treatments.

Entities

Harvard University · Harvard Medical School · Lecia Sequist · Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute · Mass General Brigham

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 54 sources
    Mass General Brigham researchers develop AI to predict cancer survival from facial photos

    Mass General Brigham researchers developed FAHR-Face, an AI system that uses facial photos to estimate biological age and predict cancer survival risks to assist in treatment planning.

  2. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Mass General Brigham launches EDDx program for early cancer detection

    Mass General Brigham has launched the EDDx program, a centralized multidisciplinary model designed to accelerate cancer diagnosis following incidental findings in medical imaging.

Sources

abc17news.com · atlantico.net · bajotecho.com.do · calibre800.com · cancernetwork.com · capitalul.ro · clubic.com · columnadigital.com · cumhuriyet.com.tr · cybermexico.mx · economia.com.py · ecuadoruniversitario.com · estamosaqui.mx · finance.technews.tw · g4media.ro · ghanamma.com · hvg.hu · ibtimes.com.au · independent.co.uk · internewscast.com · ithome.com · knowridge.com · krdo.com · kvia.com · leinetal24.de · libertas.mk · localnews8.com · mannheim24.de · news-medical.net · news.cnyes.com · news9live.com · newsmobile.in · nlc.hu · noticiasdecoimbra.pt · notiziedi.it · novilist.hr · novini247.com · op-online.de · poslovni.hr · radiocable.com · rr.pt · scientificamerican.com · scrolla.africa · srpskacafe.com · startsat60.com · stirileprotv.ro · techgear.gr · telegram.hr

This summary has been updated 6 times: see revision history