Veteran Affairs (VA) is using artificial intelligence (AI), to better detect pre-cancerous growths, also known as polyps, during colonoscopies, according to a press release shared on July 18. This will assist more veterans to avoid acquiring colorectal cancer in the first place.
"I look forward to evaluating the results of our initial deployment so we can assess whether to install this technology more broadly across the nation in pursuit of our goal to detect more polyps and prevent Veterans from developing cancer,” Dr. Jason Dominitz, VA national executive director of Gastroenterology, said, according to the press release.
In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common malignancy after leukemia, the press release reported. It is one of the most often diagnosed diseases in veterans and the second highest cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States. Veterans have a significantly lower risk of dying from CRC if the disease is detected early through routine screening. VA is at the forefront of cancer treatment. Regular CRC tests, such as colonoscopies, are essential for maintaining good health and can cut the risk of dying from CRC by as much as 68%. Data shows that VA's procedures achieve a level of quality that exceeds nationally recognized norms, VA performs close to 300,000 colonoscopies annually.
To help with polyp detection during colonoscopies in more than 40 VA facilities, the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) of the VA deployed over 100 artificial intelligence devices in December 2022, enhancing the best-in-class treatment already provided to veterans across the country. Using these tools may greatly improve the likelihood of finding polyps during routine colonoscopies, according to the release. Finding polyps is crucial for reducing the risk of developing CRC and dying from it. According to earlier research, every 1% improvement in the identification rate of pre-cancerous polyps is linked to a 3% reduction in the risk of developing CRC in the future and a 5% reduction in the risk of dying from CRC.
The average rate of discovering pre-cancerous polyps by VA doctors is 46%, which is significantly higher than the benchmark of 30% for colonoscopy in men in the general population. Over 40 VA institutions across the country now have 115 AI devices installed by VA since the initiative's inception. According to an earlier study, these tools could considerably raise the rate at which polyps are found during colonoscopies. Since their deployment began in late 2022, over 38,000 VA colonoscopies have been completed at facilities with AI equipment.
