Biocon Foundation and IISc host conference on AI in Oral Cancer

New Delhi: The Biocon Foundation, in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), recently organized the fifth edition of the Oral Cancer Task Force (OCTF) Conference.

Held at the IISc campus to coincide with World Head & Neck Cancer Day, the two-day event focused on the theme “Artificial Intelligence in Oral Cancer.” The conference united clinicians and scientists to explore advances in oral cancer screening and early detection.

Dr. Anupama Shetty, Mission Director at Biocon Foundation, expressed, “The annual Oral Cancer Task Force conference is a powerful platform for united action. Leading experts and researchers from organizations 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.”

Biocon Foundation and IISc have partnered to establish the AI-Center of Excellence in Oral Cancer, a multi-centric initiative involving 28 consortium partners, with IISc as the nodal center. The Biocon Foundation leads phase 1 of the project, aiming to develop an algorithm for an oral cancer screening tool named Aarogya Aarohan. This initiative seeks to create a mobile phone-based imaging system to classify oral lesions as high-risk or low-risk, ultimately resulting in an open-source screening tool for Health and Wellness Centers. The project emphasizes empowering healthcare workers and developing cost-effective solutions for low-resource settings.

Biocon Foundation has operated its Oral Cancer Control Program (OCCP) for nearly a decade, focusing on early detection of oral cancer in underserved communities. The program has screened over 85,000 individuals, identifying 13% with Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMDs).

Prof. Debnath Pal, Computational Biologist at IISc, highlighted, “AI can catalyze an enabling ecosystem for addressing different challenges in healthcare and medicine when pursued systematically starting from good quality data, creative algorithms and well-designed trials.”

Prof. Rajesh Sundaresan, Dean of the Division of EECS at IISc, added, “It is highly appropriate that the AI-CoE effort is working towards enabling healthcare professionals tackle one of the most common diseases of public concern in India. Our efforts, we hope, will help bring down the burden by leveraging technology.”

Dr. GK Rath, Member of, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board said, “Integration of technology has always led to great advances in the medical field. AI is a tool which we need to deploy to our advantage.”

The Medical-Imaging and Information Datasets for India (MIDAS) is a national initiative led by IISc, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and ARTPARK-IISc. MIDAS focuses on creating comprehensive medical imaging datasets to enhance screening and diagnostics across India. The initiative aims to facilitate the development of AI tools for public health by providing a central platform for data access.

Dr. Kumar Prabhash, Medical Oncologist, Tata Memorial Hospital acknowledged, “AI CoE is focused on early detection of oral cancer from imaging data, predictive analytics for treatment outcomes, and personalized medicine through genetic analysis. Thus having a potential in improving diagnostic accuracy and workflow efficiency for clinicians.”

Dr. Moni Abraham Kuriakose, Co-Founder, MD & CEO of Karkinos Healthcare commended the AI-CoE project for its interdisciplinary approach, highlighting its potential to address global health challenges related to oral cancer.

At the OCTF Conference, the updated India-specific guidelines were unveiled, with publication in the Journal of Cancer Research Statistics and Treatment. The guidelines update was presented by Dr. Neera Gupta, General Manager of Medical Affairs and Clinical Development at Eris Life Sciences Ltd.