Alibaba has introduced a powerful artificial intelligence tool that could change how pancreatic cancer is detected and diagnosed. Called PANDA, the system uses AI to spot early signs of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) — the most aggressive and common form of pancreatic cancer — using standard CT scans.
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to detect early.
Symptoms often appear only after the disease has advanced, leaving limited
treatment options. While contrast-enhanced CT scans can help identify tumours,
they expose patients to higher radiation and are not ideal for routine or
large-scale screening. PANDA addresses this challenge by analysing
non-contrast, low-radiation CT scans, making early detection safer and more
accessible.
Developed and introduced in November 2024, PANDA has already
shown impressive results in real-world clinical settings across China. During
trials involving tens of thousands of patients, the AI system achieved a
sensitivity of around 93 percent, while maintaining near-perfect specificity.
This means PANDA can detect cancer accurately while minimising false positives.
One of PANDA’s key strengths is its ability to identify
small and early-stage tumours that are often missed during routine scans. In
several cases, the AI flagged cancers before patients experienced any visible
symptoms, allowing doctors to intervene much earlier.
The system can also differentiate pancreatic cancer from
lookalike conditions such as pancreatic cysts and pancreatitis, reducing the
risk of misdiagnosis — a common challenge in pancreatic imaging.
Global rollout on the horizon
After screening more than 70,000 individuals in China, PANDA
is now being prepared for regulatory review in the United States. If approved,
the technology could be adopted globally, offering clinicians a reliable tool
for early pancreatic cancer detection.
By combining AI with widely available imaging techniques, PANDA has the potential to improve survival rates, reduce diagnostic uncertainty, and make early cancer screening safer for millions worldwide.
BY- Nirosha Gupta
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