#1

The best way to treat cancer, and many other health conditions, is to discover them early. Almost all women diagnosed with stage one breast cancer survive for five years or more, according to Cancer Research UK. That survival rate drops to only three in 10 if diagnosed at the latest stage four. Swift detection saves lives. To that end, routine screening of asymptomatic patients is offered in many countries. In Britain this week, the NHS announced it was enlisting Edith (early detection using information technology in health) as part of an £11mn trial to speed up its national breast-screening service. From April, five different artificial intelligence-enabled platforms will be deployed at 30 sites to help radiologists interpret scans. The aim is that 700,000 women will sign up to the voluntary scheme designed to cut waiting times. But consumers, who are nowadays accustomed to devices that measure their every step, nap and heartbeat, are increasingly taking their health into their own hands and signing up for private scanning services. Venture capital investors sniff an opportunity to make money from these health-conscious consumers and are investing heavily in the sector. Last month, the Swedish start-up Neko raised $260mn at a $1.7bn valuation to fund its expansion in the US. The company’s modest ambition is to become the Apple of healthcare.

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#2
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#3

100% I think this is just the tip of the iceberg. And this will ultimately extend to so many types of tools for early detection; not just for cancer, but for nearly every area of health.

#4

Are there any commercially available options? I’d be up to doing this if the price is reasonable.