Artificial Intelligence in Oral Cancer - Project Led by Biocon Group and IISc

A conference focusing on 'Artificial Intelligence in Oral Cancer,' took place at the IISc campus, marking World Head & Neck Cancer Day. It was the fifth edition of the Oral Cancer Task Force (OCTF) Conference, hosted on 26–27 July 2024. The conference was conducted by Biocon Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) division of the Biocon Group, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

The purpose of the conference was to promote collaboration across different fields and to enhance the Artificial Intelligence - Center of Excellence (AI-CoE) project. The event served as a platform for clinicians and scientists to discuss the progress in oral cancer screening methods for early detection ().

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Oral cancers belong to a category of cancers commonly known as head and neck cancers. These primarily affect the mouth and back of the throat. Mouth cancers are associated with tobacco consumption, alcohol intake, or both, while most throat cancers are attributed to the human papilloma virus (HPV). #oralcancer #artificialintelligence #cancerscreening #medindia’

Dr. Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, said, “This year, we were honored to host the 5th edition of the OCTF Conference at the Indian Institute of Science, centered around the theme 'Artificial Intelligence in Oral Cancer'. Leading experts and researchers from organisations such as AIIMS Cachar Cancer Center and MPMMCC (Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre) shared advancements and best practices in preventing, diagnosing, and treating oral cancer. The publication of consensus guidelines for head and neck cancer, specific to the Indian subcontinent’s demographic and economic conditions, remains the annual highlight of the conference."

Initiatives of Organizations to Use AI in Oral Cancer

The collaboration between the Biocon Foundation and IISc for the AI-CoE in Oral Cancer Projects involves 28 consortium partners, with IISc as the central hub. The Biocon Foundation leads phase 1 of the project, which focuses on creating an algorithm for an oral cancer screening tool called Aarogya Aarohan ().

In addition, the Medical-Imaging and Information Datasets for India (MIDAS) is a nationwide project spearheaded by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and ARTPARK-IISc. The MIDAS project objective is to create extensive medical imaging datasets representing India’s diverse population. MIDAS will function as a technology-driven central system, supporting the development of top-notch medical datasets and promoting research and advancement in the healthcare industry throughout India.

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The fifth edition of the Oral Cancer Task Force Conference featured the launch of the revised India-specific guidelines for the Management of Head & Neck Cancer, which will be published in the Journal of Cancer Research Statistics and Treatment. Dr. Neera Gupta, General Manager - Medical Affairs and Clinical Development at Eris Life Sciences Ltd., presented the updated guidelines.

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The distinguished scientists and key opinion leaders expressed their views at the conference.

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Dr. Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, said, “The annual Oral Cancer Task Force conference is a powerful platform for united action.”

Prof. Debnath Pal, Computational Biologist, Indian Institute of Science, said, “AI can catalyze an enabling ecosystem for addressing different challenges in healthcare and medicine.”

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Prof. Rajesh Sundaresan, Dean, Division of EECS, IISc said, “Our efforts will help bring down the burden of oral cancer by leveraging technology.”

Dr. GK Rath, Member, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board said, “AI is a tool which we need to deploy to our advantage.”

Dr. Kumar Prabhash, Medical Oncologist, Tata Memorial Hospital said, “AI has made significant strides in various aspects of oral cancer research and treatment.”

Dr. Moni Abraham Kuriakose, Co-Founder, MD & CEO, Karkinos Healthcare said, “The AI-CoE project is pathbreaking and fosters an interdisciplinary approach to overcome the global health burden of oral cancer.”

Reference:

Biocon Foundation and IISc organize OCTF Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Oral Cancer - (https://www.biocon.com/biocon-foundation-and-iisc-organize-octf-conference-on-artificial-intelligence-in-oral-cancer/)

Source-Medindia