How can computer science help us fight cancer?

INESC TEC Science Bits – Episode 13

Link to episode (in Portuguese)

Invited speakers:

Hélder Oliveira, Centre for Telecommunications and Multimedia

Eduardo Castro, Centre for Telecommunications and Multimedia

Keywords: cancer | computer vision | diagnosis | surgery planning | personalised medicine | rehabilitation | technology

Breast cancer – technology as an ally

Estimates show that one in 11 women living in the EU will develop breast cancer before reaching 74 years of age. This type of cancer is the most common among women, but survival rates are increasing. Nowadays, when diagnosed in a timely manner, the survival rate for breast cancer ranges from 70% to 90%. These percentages are optimistic, but they lead to other questions. Since there are more women surviving this disease, it means that there are more women facing its effects – which range from physiological to aesthetic issues. In this sense, engineering has proven to be an important ally against cancer.

Several researchers at the Centre for Telecommunications and Multimedia have been developing technologies to support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis, surgery planning, aesthetic evaluation and rehabilitation processes. In this episode of Science Bits, we will get to know more about the work currently underway, and how technology and computer science can help both patients and professionals.