Each year, more than 4,000 Filipino women die from cervical cancer. A new partnership is set to reduce this number drastically through screenings based on artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative is a collaboration between the non-profit advocacy group End Cervical Cancer Philippines Organization (CerviQ) and the Department of Science and Technology – Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI).
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women in the Philippines with 8,549 new cases each year and 4,380 deaths annually. Both numbers are alarmingly high, especially considering that risk factors are well known, and that early screening techniques exist.
CerviQ initially was looking to procure screening equipment manufactured abroad. However, the associated costs proved high while dependency on a foreign vendor’s proprietary software seemed unpleasant. Instead, the group turned to DOST-ASTI.
A shift in cervical cancer detection
The new joint effort blends cutting-edge AI research and practical, on-the-ground advocacy – laying the foundation for a shift in how cervical cancer is detected and prevented across the country.
The basic cervical cancer screening tool is a colposcope – a specialized instrument used to inspect the cervix, providing a magnified view that helps identify abnormal tissues.
In the new project, the research team trains deep learning models on thousands of annotated cervical images. The goal is to develop a locally engineered cervical imaging device and integrated AI system, minimizing the need for expensive imports and onerous licensing fees.
Involving midwives and local health workers
The device promises to automate lesion detection, potentially allowing healthcare workers – including midwives – to spot cervical cancer at the earliest stages.
“We believe in the power of prevention and early detection. If we can get AI-assisted colposcopes into the hands of midwives and local health workers, we can radically increase screening rates and help more women catch cervical cancer well before it becomes life-threatening,” says Dr. Jesus Randy Rivera, Founder of CerviQ.
Under the title Cerv.ai (Identification of Regions-of-Interest in Cervical Pre-Cancer and Cancer Screening Images Using Computer Vision), the project was officially kicked off on 16 January 2025 at the DOST-ASTI Training Room in Quezon City.
The text is inspired by the article “DOST-ASTI, CerviQ take aim at cervical cancer with AI” by Kurt Valcorza at the DOST-ASTI website.
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