Google and Institut Curie partner to advance AI research in women’s cancer care

FRANCE – Google has teamed up with the Institute of Women’s Cancers, an initiative founded by France’s leading cancer research center, Institut Curie, to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve cancer treatment.

The partnership aims to harness AI’s capabilities to predict cancer progression, provide reliable health information, and fund postdoctoral research focused on improving outcomes for breast and gynecological cancers.

Announced at the France AI Action Summit, this collaboration brings together Institut Curie’s medical expertise and Google’s advanced AI technology.

The key focus is on developing AI tools that can anticipate cancer development and assess the likelihood of relapse, particularly for aggressive cancers such as triple-negative breast cancer.

This type of cancer spreads quickly and has limited treatment options, making early detection and prediction essential for better patient care.

Beyond research, the initiative also prioritizes public education and awareness. YouTube will support and promote Institut Curie’s official channel, offering credible, science-backed content to combat misinformation.

These efforts aim to educate the public on cancer risk factors, the importance of early screenings, and available treatment options.

To further scientific progress, Google.org is committing over US $2 million to Université PSL. This funding will support postdoctoral researchers using AI to improve breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Additionally, it will foster collaboration between Université PSL and Google Research teams, enabling knowledge exchange and accelerating advancements in cancer research.

Dr. Anne Vincent-Salomon, Director of the Institute of Women’s Cancers, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “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.”

Tackling a global health crisis

Breast and gynecological cancers pose a significant threat to women’s health worldwide. Each year, nearly 60,000 women in France and over 2 million globally are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Cervical cancer, another major women’s cancer, remains one of the most common worldwide. Understanding these diseases is vital to reducing mortality rates and improving treatment options.

Institut Curie, in collaboration with Université PSL and Inserm, is uniquely positioned to drive large-scale cancer research. By leveraging AI, researchers hope to uncover the origins of tumors, track their evolution, and better understand the complexities of rare and aggressive cancers.

Google’s expanding role in AI-driven healthcare

Google’s involvement in cancer research is part of its broader effort to integrate AI into healthcare solutions.

In 2023, the company partnered with the Mayo Clinic to develop AI-powered tools for radiotherapy planning.

Their joint research focused on using AI to automatically outline organs on CT scans, reducing radiation exposure and improving treatment precision.

Additionally, Google collaborated with Taiwan’s Chang Gung Memorial Hospital to explore AI-driven ultrasound technology for early breast cancer detection.

In 2022, Google Health’s AI mammography technology was integrated into medtech company iCAD’s breast-imaging solutions, enhancing AI-powered cancer detection and risk estimation tools.