USC Researchers Develop AI to Detect Cancer from Blood

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) unveiled a groundbreaking AI system this week that automates cancer detection through blood samples.

Instead of waiting for complex tissue biopsies that can take days or weeks, the innovation scans cellular anomalies directly in circulating blood samples within seconds.

Built on a neural microscopy model, the system processes millions of cells in real time, identifying micro-deformities typical of early-stage cancer.

The research team believes this approach could reduce diagnosis turnaround time from weeks to under an hour—a potentially life-saving breakthrough for oncology precision diagnostics.

Unlike expensive imaging equipment that requires specialized facilities, this non-invasive AI tool can run on standard computing hardware, making it accessible for a wider range of healthcare providers. The team anticipates rapid adoption across midrange hospitals and clinics by 2026.

For healthcare technology developers and medical AI researchers, the ability to process millions of cells in real time while maintaining accuracy can represent a "significant" step in early cancer detection, especially in resource-limited environments.

Read more from the original source - USC Viterbi School: Researchers invent new AI tool to automate detection of cancer in blood samples