Harnessing the Power of Online Search: How Microsoft Researchers Are Aiming to Detect Cancer Early

In this digital age, where billions of searches grace the internet daily, the term ‘Google’ transcends its identity as a Search Engine giant, becoming a universal verb synonymous with online search. The statement “Google it” is now a common parlance, proving just how integral online search has become to our lives. The myriad of searches we conduct daily generate an online pattern that constitutes Big Data, allowing Search Engine stalwarts like Googles to tailor search results based on our browsing habits. In context, this wealth of data could be a treasure trove when wielded under the right circumstances.

Take for instance, when Google announced nearly two years ago that it would extend its services to the healthcare sector. With millions of users making health-related searches daily, Google aimed to enhance navigation for such users by connecting them to relevant online healthcare professionals.

However, the focus of this discussion lies with researchers at Microsoft who are leveraging Bing (Microsoft’s search engine) search data to facilitate early diagnosis of diseases like cancer. As conveyed by healthcare professionals worldwide, early detection is often the most potent weapon against ailments like cancer. In an era where obtaining health information online is considerably easier than hospital visits, this research holds significant potential. As per the researchers, “People are being diagnosed too late. These results frame a new approach to pre-screening or screening,” thereby advocating the imperative need to transition from feasibility study to real-world implementation.

This groundbreaking research was conducted by Microsoft’s Eric Horvitz and Ryen White, accompanied by John Paparrizos, a former Microsoft intern and a doctoral candidate from Columbia University. In their study, they proposed that queries recorded in search logs could predict the eventual appearance of queries indicative of ailments like pancreatic adenocarcinoma. They states, “…we can identify 5 to 15 percent of cases while preserving extremely low false positive rates” of as low as 1 in 100,000.”

Last year, IBM partnered with 14 premier cancer institutes through its Big Data analytics tool, Watson, to boost genomics research. Watson’s involvement in domains ranging from education to cooking significantly streamlines complex processes such as personalized cancer diagnoses.

According to IBM, a single patient’s genome equates to about 100 gigabytes of data – an overwhelmingly vast amount for a human doctor to analyze. With Watson swiftly analyzing this torrent of information, IBM views this initiative as a cornerstone of the broader Watson Health directive.

Cancer remains a leading global concern, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlighting that Nigeria has the highest cancer rate in Africa as recorded three years ago. Cancer claimed 7.6 million lives worldwide in 2008, with projections indicating a staggering 133 million by 2030. This implies that cancer contributes to 13 percent of global deaths. In Nigeria, approximately 10,000 people succumb to the disease annually, with nearly 250,000 new cases recorded every year. As the death toll continues to rise, cancer research funding is witnessing an unprecedented increase worldwide.