Turkish Scientists Develop AI-Powered App to Detect Lung Cancer Using Voice Analysis
Researchers in Turkey have created an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) application capable of detecting lung cancer at an early stage solely through voice analysis of the patient.
Led by Dr. Haydar Ankishan from the Stem Cell Institute at Ankara University, the multidisciplinary team aimed to develop a tool that could identify lung cancer early—a crucial step since the disease is often diagnosed only in its advanced stages.
“In our study, we considered the structure of the voice, the anatomy of the lungs, and the circulatory system,” Dr. Ankishan explained. “We proposed that voice characteristics could provide valuable information about the presence of lung cancer. We pursued this hypothesis through our research.”
After nearly a year and a half of work, the team reported promising results. “We found that lung cancer, particularly in its early stages, can be diagnosed with an accuracy rate of 90 percent using our app,” Dr. Ankishan added.
Dr. Bülent Mustafa Yenigün, a faculty member at Ankara University School of Medicine and part of the research team, emphasized the importance of early detection in improving lung cancer treatment outcomes. “We conducted our study with 50 patients diagnosed with lung cancer and 50 healthy individuals. Each patient spoke for two minutes into the app, which recorded and analyzed their voice,” he explained.
He noted that all recordings were made under identical conditions to ensure consistency. “Our app detects subtle changes in the voice and issues a warning if there are signs indicative of lung pathology,” Yenigün said.
While the initial results are encouraging, scientists in Turkey acknowledge that further refinement and testing are necessary. They plan to continue improving the app’s accuracy and reliability for broader clinical use.
