Google partners with the Institute of Women’s Cancers for cancer research

Google announced it is partnering with the Institute of Women’s Cancers, founded by France’s cancer research and treatment center, Institut Curie, to study how AI tools can help address cancer, share science-based health information and support postdoctoral researchers with funding.

The partnership, which was announced at the France AI Action Summit, combines Institut Curie’s proficiency in research and medicine with Google’s advanced AI capabilities.

The two entities will research how AI-based tools can help forecast the progression of cancer and the likelihood of relapse for patients, with the goal of developing more accurate and successful treatments.

The researchers will focus on hard to treat women’s cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive type of breast cancer that grows and spreads faster than other types. 

Beyond the research partnership with the Institute of Women’s Cancers, the program will also fund research led by Université PSL postdoctoral fellows using AI to enhance breast cancer outcomes. 

In addition, the initiative will permit Université PSL and Google Research teams to share knowledge and advance broader scientific progress.

“Combining our expertise in research with Google’s advanced technological capabilities offers hope for significant advancements in our mission to improve our understanding and prediction of cancer’s progression, and develop more effective treatments,” Anne Vincent-Salomon, director of the Institute of Women’s Cancers, said in a statement.

THE LARGER TREND

In 2023, Google partnered with the Mayo Clinic to research tools for radiotherapy planning during cancer treatment. The partners focused on developing a model that could automatically outline or contour around organs on CT scans, limiting their exposure to radiation.

The tech giant also announced it was working with Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan to study using AI-embedded ultrasound to find early signs of breast cancer.

In 2022, medtech company iCAD incorporated Google Health’s mammography AI technology into its breast-imaging solutions thanks to a strategic development and commercialization agreement. The aim was for cancer detection and therapy solutions platform iCAD to utilize Google’s AI breast-imaging technology in its portfolio, including its clinical decision support tool for breast cancer risk-estimation ProFound AI Risk.