From left to right Dr. Kutcharin Jiamsripong
Deputy Director General of Medical Service Department
Dr. Lertluck Leelaruangsang, Director General of the Medical Services Department
Mr. Roman Ramos, President of AstraZeneca (Thailand) Ltd.
Dr. Korn Talthip, Medical and Regulatory Affairs Director, AstraZeneca (Thailand) Ltd.
AstraZeneca (Thailand) Company Limited and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under ‘Don't Wait. Get Checked’ project to expand access to medical services and treatments while leveraging AI technology to develop and enhance early-stage incidental lung cancer screening in Bangkok. Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, presided over the launch ceremony at the Medical Service Department Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (MSD BMA).
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Thailand, resulting in more than 80,000 fatalities annually.[1] Notably, lung cancer emerges as the foremost contributor to this statistic. Lung cancer is typically detected when patients have reached the most advanced stage or Stage 4, which is the final stage where treatment outcomes are not as good as expected. Therefore, using AI technology to support early lung cancer detection is crucial. Towards this end, AstraZeneca Thailand continues ‘Don't Wait. Get Checked’ project, forming partnerships with both the public and private sectors to enhance lung cancer screening capabilities using AI technology. As a part of these efforts, AI-assisted chest X-ray technology was introduced for lung cancer pre-screening, assessing more than 7,000 cases, and revealing 586 suspected pulmonary lesions, which constitutes 8% of the total cases. The suspected lung lesions were identified with a lung cancer probability of 0.3%.
Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok governor, said, “Ensuring the well-being of our citizens and fostering a robust public health system are pressing priorities for Bangkok. We are dedicated to elevating the quality of public healthcare services through the application of innovative technology, exemplified by the ‘Don't Wait. Get Checked’ project by AstraZeneca, which harnesses AI technology to enhance lung cancer pre-screening efficiency. These advancements have yielded concrete results, aligning with Bangkok's objectives under the Bangkok Health Zoning project and the implementation of Preventive Urban Medicine. These initiatives aim to proactively address urban health risks, disseminate health knowledge within our communities, and promote equitable healthcare access. The research findings from this project will help guide Bangkok towards the future healthcare policies.”
Formed by four founding partners – AstraZeneca, Global Lung Cancer Coalition (GLCC), Guardant Health, and International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) – the Lung Ambition Alliance (LAA) is a global coalition that spans different disciplines in more than 50 countries, including Thailand. It seeks to better understand how the lung cancer evolves and is developing advanced therapeutic techniques to double patients’ ‘5-Year Survival Rates for Lung Cancer’ by 2025. The Alliance aims to enable patients to live longer and better lives through the promotion of effective pre-early-stage screening for the disease using AI technology.
Mr. Roman Ramos, Country President, AstraZeneca (Thailand), said, “AstraZeneca aims to enhance the quality of life and wellness for patients by pushing the boundaries of science to provide more sustainable healthcare for people, society, and the planet. Oncology is one of the focus areas in our diversified portfolio. Through researching and developing innovative solutions, we use AI to expand the capacity and efficiency of pre-screening, aligned with Thailand’s public health pathway for innovation and towards digital healthcare. As we move ahead, we aspire to redefine healthcare and scale up AI technology utilisation to aid lung cancer pre-screening, with the aim to avail accessibility to 500,000 individuals by 2024 and eventually, increase survival rates for lung cancer patients in Thailand.”
The ‘qXR’ AI software, integrated into this project, was developed by Qure.ai, an innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution provider and one of AstraZeneca's partners committed to utilising technology and innovation for the enhancement of lung cancer risk pre-screening. This solution has received approval from the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an AI medical device that employs deep learning algorithms to detect and localise up to 29 lung abnormality markers. These markers include well-defined nodules or masses, irregular margins, and ill-defined lesions that can be presumptive of lung cancer.
"The partnership harnesses the power of Qure's cutting-edge AI technology, qXR, to analyse chest X-rays as part of incidental Lung Cancer risk identification pre-screening programs. This innovative AI solution will play a pivotal role in the early detection of potential lung nodules, a key indicator of early-stage lung cancer. When suspected lung nodules are identified, individuals will be promptly referred for a CT scan for further diagnostic confirmations and treatment planning. ” says Prashant Warrier, CEO and Co-founder of Qure.ai.
Details of the mobile unit and affiliated hospitals in Bangkok:
- Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital
- Sirindhorn Hospital
- Ratchaphiphat Hospital
- Venerable Thawisak Juntidharo Hospital
- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Lat Krabang Hospital
- Mobile health inspection unit, Department of Health
And several more hospitals under Bangkok's healthcare network in the near future.
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AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.
Qure.ai
Qure.ai is a health tech company that uses deep learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to make healthcare more accessible and affordable to patients worldwide in medical imaging & care coordination. Our technology fulfils a pertinent, unmet need in the radiology industry. With the aid of tools like those developed by Qure.ai, which work via a sophisticated set of algorithms that can instantly evaluate scans to prioritize actionable patient cases quickly, radiologists can focus their time and advanced skill sets on the most pressing diagnoses. For more information, please visit www.qure.ai.
Reference:
1. Strategy and planning division of Office of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Public Health (https://bps.moph.go.th/new_bps/sites/default/files/2563_0.pdf)
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