Few-shot classification of ultrasound breast cancer images using meta-learning algorithms

MobNas ensembled model for breast cancer prediction

Breast cancer poses a real and immense threat to humankind, thus a need to develop a way of diagnosing this devastating disease early, accurately, and in a simpler manner. Thus, while substantial progress has been made in developing machine learning algorithms, deep learning, and transfer learning models, issues with diagnostic accuracy and minimizing diagnostic errors persist. This paper introduces MobNAS, a model that uses MobileNetV2 and NASNetLarge to sort breast cancer images into benign, malignant, or normal classes. The study employs a multi-class classification design and uses a publicly available dataset comprising 1,578 ultrasound images, including 891 benign, 421 malignant, and 266 normal cases. By deploying MobileNetV2, it is easy to work well on devices with less computational capability than is used by NASNetLarge, which enhances its applicability and effectiveness in other tasks. The performance of the proposed MobNAS model was tested on the breast cancer image dataset, and the accuracy level achieved was 97%, the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) was 0.05, and the Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) was 95%. From the findings of this research, it is evident that MobNAS can enhance diagnostic accuracy and reduce existing shortcomings in breast cancer detection.

An explainable AI-driven deep neural network for accurate breast cancer detection from histopathological and ultrasound images

Breast cancer represents a significant global health challenge, which makes it essential to detect breast cancer early and accurately to improve patient prognosis and reduce mortality rates. However, traditional diagnostic processes relying on manual analysis of medical images are inherently complex and subject to variability between observers, highlighting the urgent need for robust automated breast cancer detection systems. While deep learning has demonstrated potential, many current models struggle with limited accuracy and lack of interpretability. This research introduces the Deep Neural Breast Cancer Detection (DNBCD) model, an explainable AI-based framework that utilizes deep learning methods for classifying breast cancer using histopathological and ultrasound images. The proposed model employs Densenet121 as a foundation, integrating customized Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) layers including GlobalAveragePooling2D, Dense, and Dropout layers along with transfer learning to achieve both high accuracy and interpretability for breast cancer diagnosis. The proposed DNBCD model integrates several preprocessing techniques, including image normalization and resizing, and augmentation techniques to enhance the model's robustness and address class imbalances using class weight. It employs Grad-CAM (Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping) to offer visual justifications for its predictions, increasing trust and transparency among healthcare providers. The model was assessed using two benchmark datasets: Breakhis-400x (B-400x) and Breast Ultrasound Images Dataset (BUSI) containing 1820 and 1578 images, respectively. We systematically divided the datasets into training (70%), testing (20%,) and validation (10%) sets, ensuring efficient model training and evaluation obtaining accuracies of 93.97% for B-400x dataset having benign and malignant classes and 89.87% for BUSI dataset having benign, malignant, and normal classes for breast cancer detection. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed DNBCD model significantly outperforms existing state-of-the-art approaches with potential uses in clinical environments. We also made all the materials publicly accessible for the research community at: https://github.com/romzanalom/XAI-Based-Deep-Neural-Breast-Cancer-Detection .

Deep learning-based computational approach for predicting ncRNAs-disease associations in metaplastic breast cancer diagnosis

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a crucial role in breast cancer progression, necessitating advanced computational approaches for precise disease classification. This study introduces a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL)-based framework for predicting ncRNA-disease associations in metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) using a multi-dimensional descriptor system (ncRNADS) integrating 550 sequence-based features and 1,150 target gene descriptors (miRDB score ≥ 90). The model achieved 96.20% accuracy, 96.48% precision, 96.10% recall, and a 96.29% F1-score, outperforming traditional classifiers such as support vector machines (SVM) and neural networks. Feature selection and optimization reduced dimensionality by 42.5% (4,430 to 2,545 features) while maintaining high accuracy, demonstrating computational efficiency. External validation confirmed model specificity to breast cancer subtypes (87-96.5% accuracy) and minimal cross-reactivity with unrelated diseases like Alzheimer's (8-9% accuracy), ensuring robustness. SHAP analysis identified key sequence motifs (e.g., "UUG") and structural free energy (ΔG = - 12.3 kcal/mol) as critical predictors, validated by PCA (82% variance) and t-SNE clustering. Survival analysis using TCGA data revealed prognostic significance for MALAT1, HOTAIR, and NEAT1 (associated with poor survival, HR = 1.76-2.71) and GAS5 (protective effect, HR = 0.60). The DRL model demonstrated rapid training (0.08 s/epoch) and cloud deployment compatibility, underscoring its scalability for large-scale applications. These findings establish ncRNA-driven classification as a cornerstone for precision oncology, enabling patient stratification, survival prediction, and therapeutic target identification in MBC.

A Dirichlet Distribution-Based Complex Ensemble Approach for Breast Cancer Classification from Ultrasound Images with Transfer Learning and Multiphase Spaced Repetition Method

Breast ultrasound is a useful and rapid diagnostic tool for the early detection of breast cancer. Artificial intelligence-supported computer-aided decision systems, which assist expert radiologists and clinicians, provide reliable and rapid results. Deep learning methods and techniques are widely used in the field of health for early diagnosis, abnormality detection, and disease diagnosis. Therefore, in this study, a deep ensemble learning model based on Dirichlet distribution using pre-trained transfer learning models for breast cancer classification from ultrasound images is proposed. In the study, experiments were conducted using the Breast Ultrasound Images Dataset (BUSI). The dataset, which had an imbalanced class structure, was balanced using data augmentation techniques. DenseNet201, InceptionV3, VGG16, and ResNet152 models were used for transfer learning with fivefold cross-validation. Statistical analyses, including the ANOVA test and Tukey HSD test, were applied to evaluate the model's performance and ensure the reliability of the results. Additionally, Grad-CAM (Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping) was used for explainable AI (XAI), providing visual explanations of the deep learning model's decision-making process. The spaced repetition method, commonly used to improve the success of learners in educational sciences, was adapted to artificial intelligence in this study. The results of training with transfer learning models were used as input for further training, and spaced repetition was applied using previously learned information. The use of the spaced repetition method led to increased model success and reduced learning times. The weights obtained from the trained models were input into an ensemble learning system based on Dirichlet distribution with different variations. The proposed model achieved 99.60% validation accuracy on the dataset, demonstrating its effectiveness in breast cancer classification.

Transformer-inspired training principles based breast cancer prediction: combining EfficientNetB0 and ResNet50

Breast cancer is a leading killer and has been deepened by COVID-19, which affected diagnosis and treatment services. The absence of a rapid, efficient, accurate diagnostic tool remains a pressing issue for this severe disease. Thus, it is still possible to encounter issues concerning diagnostic accuracy and utilization of errors in the sphere of machine learning, deep learning, and transfer learning models. This paper presents a new model combining EfficientNetB0 and ResNet50 to improve the classification of breast histopathology images into IDC and non-IDC classes. The implementation steps, it include resizing all the images to be of a standard size of 128*128 pixels and then performing normalization to enhance the learning model. EfficientNetB0 is selected for its efficient yet effective performance while ResNet50 employs deep residual connections to overcome the vanishing gradient problem. The proposed model that incorporates some of the characteristics from both architectures turns out to be very resilient and accurate in classification. The model demonstrates superior performance with an accuracy of 94%, a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.0628, and a Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) of 0.8690. These results outperform previous baselines and show that the model performs well in achieving a good trade-off between precision and recall. The comparison with the related works demonstrates the superiority of the proposed ensemble approach in terms of accuracy and complexity, which makes it efficient for practical breast cancer diagnosis and screening.

A robust deep learning framework for multiclass skin cancer classification

Skin cancer represents a significant global health concern, where early and precise diagnosis plays a pivotal role in improving treatment efficacy and patient survival rates. Nonetheless, the inherent visual similarities between benign and malignant lesions pose substantial challenges to accurate classification. To overcome these obstacles, this study proposes an innovative hybrid deep learning model that combines ConvNeXtV2 blocks and separable self-attention mechanisms, tailored to enhance feature extraction and optimize classification performance. The inclusion of ConvNeXtV2 blocks in the initial two stages is driven by their ability to effectively capture fine-grained local features and subtle patterns, which are critical for distinguishing between visually similar lesion types. Meanwhile, the adoption of separable self-attention in the later stages allows the model to selectively prioritize diagnostically relevant regions while minimizing computational complexity, addressing the inefficiencies often associated with traditional self-attention mechanisms. The model was comprehensively trained and validated on the ISIC 2019 dataset, which includes eight distinct skin lesion categories. Advanced methodologies such as data augmentation and transfer learning were employed to further enhance model robustness and reliability. The proposed architecture achieved exceptional performance metrics, with 93.48% accuracy, 93.24% precision, 90.70% recall, and a 91.82% F1-score, outperforming over ten Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based and over ten Vision Transformer (ViT) based models tested under comparable conditions. Despite its robust performance, the model maintains a compact design with only 21.92 million parameters, making it highly efficient and suitable for model deployment. The Proposed Model demonstrates exceptional accuracy and generalizability across diverse skin lesion classes, establishing a reliable framework for early and accurate skin cancer diagnosis in clinical practice.

Application of machine learning in breast cancer survival prediction using a multimethod approach

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers with an increasing trend in both incidence and mortality rates in Iran. Survival analysis is a pivotal measure in setting appropriate care plans.  To the best of our knowledge, this study is pioneering in Iran, introducing a multi-method approach using a Deep Neural Network (DNN) and 11 conventional machine learning (ML) methods to predict the 5 year survival of women with breast cancer. Supplying data from two centers comprising a total of 2644 records and incorporating external validation further distinguishes the study. Thirty-four features were selected based on a literature review and common variables in both datasets. Feature selection was also performed using a p value criterion (< 0.05) and a survey involving oncologists. A total of 108 models were trained. According to external validation, the DNN model trained with the Shiraz dataset, considering all features, exhibited the highest accuracy (85.56%). While the DNN model showed superior accuracy in external validation, it did not consistently achieve the highest performance across all evaluation metrics. Notably, models trained with the Shiraz dataset outperformed those trained with the Tehran dataset, possibly due to the lower number of missing values in the Shiraz dataset.

Quantum classical hybrid convolutional neural networks for breast cancer diagnosis

The World Health Organization states that early diagnosis is essential to increasing the cure rate for breast cancer, which poses a danger to women's health worldwide. However, the efficacy and cost limitations of conventional diagnostic techniques increase the possibility of misdiagnosis. In this work, we present a quantum hybrid classical convolutional neural network (QCCNN) based breast cancer diagnosis approach with the goal of utilizing quantum computing's high-dimensional data processing power and parallelism to increase diagnosis efficiency and accuracy. When working with large-scale and complicated datasets, classical convolutional neural network (CNN) and other machine learning techniques generally demand a large amount of computational resources and time. Their restricted capacity for generalization makes it challenging to maintain consistent performance across multiple data sets. To address these issues, this paper adds a quantum convolutional layer to the classical convolutional neural network to take advantage of quantum computing to improve learning efficiency and processing speed. Simulation experiments on three breast cancer datasets, GBSG, SEER and WDBC, validate the robustness and generalization of QCCNN and significantly outperform CNN and logistic regression models in classification accuracy. This study not only provides a novel method for breast cancer diagnosis but also achieves a breakthrough in breast cancer diagnosis and promotes the development of medical diagnostic technology.

Prediction of lymphovascular invasion in invasive breast cancer based on clinical-MRI radiomics features

OBJECTIVE

We aim to develop a predictive model for lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC), using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics features.

METHODS

A total of 204 patients with IBC admitted to our hospital were included in this retrospective study. The data was split into training and validation sets at a 7:3 ratio. Feature normalization was conducted, followed by feature selection using ANOVA, correlation analysis, and LASSO in the training set. The final step involved building a logistic regression model. The LVI prediction models were established by single sequence image and combined different sequence images as follows: A: prediction model based on the optimal sequence in the 7-phase enhanced MRI scans; B: prediction model based on the optimal sequences in the sequences T1WI, T2WI, and DWI; and C: the combined model based on the optimal sequences selected from A and B. Subjects' work characteristic curves (ROC) and decision curves (DCA) were plotted to determine the extent to which they predicted LVI performance in the training and validation sets. Simultaneously, nomogram models were constructed by integrating radiomics features and independent risk factors. In addition, an additional 16 patients from the center between January and August 2024 were collected as the Nomogram external validation set. The ROC and DCA were used to evaluate the performance of the model.

RESULTS

In the enhanced images, Model A built based on the enhanced 2-phase achieved the best average AUC, with a validation set of 0.764. Model B built based on the T2WI had better results, with a validation set of 0.693. Model C built by combining enhanced 2-phase and T2WI sequences had a mean AUC of 0.705 in the validation set. In addition, the tumor size, whether the tumor boundary was clear or not, and whether there was a coelom in the tumor tissue had a statistically significant effect on the LVI of IBC, and a clinical-radiomics nomogram was established. DCAs as well as Nomogram also indicate that Model A has good clinical utility. The AUC of the nomogram in the training set, internal validation set, and external validation set were 0.703, 0.615, and 0.609, respectively. The DCA also showed that the radiomics nomogram combined with clinical factors had good predictive ability for LVI.

CONCLUSION

In IBC, MRI radiomics can serve as a noninvasive predictor of LVI. The clinical-MRI radiomics model, as an efficient visual prognostic tool, shows promise in forecasting LVI. This highlights the significant potential of pre-radiomics prediction in enhancing treatment strategies.