Artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise for enabling earlier detection of pancreatic cancer, which is crucial to saving lives. The potential of AI is showcased in a study to be presented at the ESMO World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer, 1–4 July 2020. Overall, 12 in every 100,000 people develop pancreatic cancer. This means that screening everyone would be inefficient and would expose many people to unnecessary tests and potential side-effects. Between 70-80% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage when it is too late for curative treatment and five years after diagnosis, just 6% of patients have survived.

When it comes to figuring out what accounting firms are going to do, the best approach is simple: Ask. That's the theory behind Accounting Today's annual "Year Ahead" report: Each year we survey accountants across the country -- this year almost 600 responded -- to ask them about their plans for the next 12 months in areas ranging from tax season to staffing to marketing to technology. To complement that, we reached out to a selection of top firm leaders to get their take on the major issues they're expecting to face in 2020, and their advice for their fellow practitioners. This year's panel comprises Tom Barry, managing partner of Los Angeles-based Green Hasson Janks; Avani Desai, president of Tampa, Florida-based Schellman & Co.; and Heidi LaMarca, CEO and managing partner of Atlanta-based Windham Brannon. What are the trends that accountants and firms should keep an eye out for in 2020?