A Deep Learning Approach to Lung Nodule Growth Prediction Using CT Image Combined with Demographic and Image Features.

Lung cancer remains a significant global public health concern, being the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite recent medical advancements, the disease still has a high mortality rate, making early detection and treatment critical for improving patient outcomes. Accurate prediction of nodule growth is key to early lung cancer treatment, but current assessments offer unclear indications of future growth, leading physicians to recommend costly and anxiety-provoking follow-up appointments every 3 to 12 months. To address this need, this study develops an ensemble deep learning approach that combines demographic data with existing CT images to predict whether lung nodules will grow, potentially reducing unnecessary examinations and easing the burden on patients. Our study, conducted on 862 patients with 1004 nodules, produced promising preliminary results with Accuracy, Sensitivity, Precision, F1 Score, and AUC of 0.66, 0.66, 0.67, 0.66, and 0.71, respectively. The proposed method provides a promising support system to empower patients to make informed decisions about seeking medical attention and helps physicians facilitate early treatment regimens, leading to improved patient outcomes and potentially saving lives.