Algorithms Can Now Identify Cancerous Cells Better Than Humans

If you became concerned about a mole on your back -- perhaps it had become painful or looked unsightly -- your doctor might decide to remove it and have it evaluated. She'd send it to a pathology lab, where a sample of the tissue would be prepared in the form of a slide. It would then be sent to a pathologist, who would examine the slide to determine whether the tissue had any problematic elements, like cancer. After taking a look, the pathologist might ship it to a specialist at another lab for a second opinion. Each time the slide is moved, it is packed up and shipped to a different address.