The Potential of Convolutional Neural Networks for Cancer Detection

ABSTRACT: Early detection of cancer is critical in improving treatment outcomes and increasing survival rates, particularly for common cancers such as lung, breast and prostate which collectively contribute to a significant global mortality burden. With advancements in imaging technologies and data processing, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have emerged as a powerful tool for analyzing and classifying medical images, enabling more precise cancer detection. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent studies leveraging CNN models for detecting ten different types of cancer. Each study employs distinct CNN architectures to identify patterns associated with these cancers, utilizing diverse datasets. Key differences and strengths of these architectures are meticulously compared and analyzed, highlighting their efficacy in improving early detection. Beyond reviewing the performance and limitations of CNN-based cancer detection methods, this study explores the feasibility of integrating CNNs into clinical settings as an early detection tool, potentially complementing or replacing traditional methods. Despite significant progress, challenges remain, including data diversity, result interpretation, and ethical considerations. By identifying the best-performing CNN architectures and providing a comparative analysis, this study aims to contribute a comprehensive perspective on the application of CNNs in cancer detection and their role in advancing diagnostic capabilities in healthcare. I. INTRODUCTION Cancer is one of the most complex and deadly diseases of the present century, and due to its increasing prevalence, it has become a global crisis. This disease is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells, which can spread to other parts of the body, leading to disability and death. The exact causes of cancer are highly diverse and are a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. 2 In this study, we focus on some of the most common types of cancer, including prostate cancer, blood cancers (leukemia and lymphoma), bladder cancer, skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma), colorectal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, and lung cancer. These cancers are of particular significance due to their high prevalence and considerable impact on public health. Global data indicate that the cancer burden is increasing annually.