Application of Large Language Models for Data-Driven Analytics in Oncology: Insights and Evidence Generation from Real-World Imaging Data

Breast cancer is one of the most common and serious types of cancer. It can affect people of all ages and genders around the world. The increasing incidence of breast cancer, coupled with its complexity, has placed a significant burden on healthcare systems and patients alike. Traditional diagnostic methods, while effective, often face limitations in early detection and accurate prognosis, which are critical for improving patient outcomes. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are changing the way we solve problems and make decisions in the field of medical diagnostics, enhancing the ability to detect, diagnose and predict breast cancer. However, there are still challenges, such as the need for large and diverse datasets to train these models, making AI tools work smoothly in hospitals, and addressing ethical concerns in healthcare. This paper looks at how AI and ML are used in breast cancer care, especially in analyzing real-world medical data like images, histopathology, and other datasets such as doctor notes & discharge summaries, to identify patterns that may be unnoticeable to medical experts. Large Language Models (LLMs) using embeddings, are highlighted for their capacity to improve the accuracy of image related interpretations, potentially detect early-stage tumours, and predict disease progression and treatment responses. Real-world medical datasets have been collected and analysed using different models. A publicly available Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and a custom-built Large Language Model (LLM) with embeddings were tested. The Generative AI model achieved 98.44% accuracy, significantly higher than the traditional AI model's 61.72%. Future research can explore how Generative AI can help classify patients based on risk levels. This could lead to personalized treatment plans, reducing unnecessary treatments and improving patients' quality of life. Given the research is primarily focussed on breast cancer, there is an attempt to showcase that by harnessing the power of AI and ML, there is potential to significantly reduce the global burden of breast cancer, offering new avenues for early detection, accurate diagnosis, and tailored therapeutic strategies. Continued research and collaboration among oncologists, data scientists, and policymakers are essential to fully realize the benefits of AI in the fight against breast cancer, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and a decrease in breast cancer-related mortality.