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Breast screening uses a test called mammography which involves taking x-rays of the breasts. Screening can help to find breast cancers early when they are too small to see or feel.
The current evidence suggests that breast screening reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer by about 1,300 a year in the UK.
Dr Zhu was approached by radiologists from York Hospital who were looking for ways to improve accessibility after they were forced to turn away a paralysed lady from a routine mammogram because she couldn’t access the machine.
Sadly, just months after being unable to complete the screening Jane Hudson, from Harrogate, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in August 2020, which had spread to her lymph nodes.
Jane Hudson, 53, who is paralysed from the chest down after being knocked off a bike when she was 32, said: “As well as being unable to walk I have no upper body strength at all, so I wasn’t able to get into the right position, even in my wheelchair. We tried all different positions, but it just wasn’t feasible and the radiographers were unable to get any accurate images.
“I had to leave without any alternative options available and I was left with the question of what happens now and a certain amount of panic as I knew I had a higher risk of developing breast cancer because my mum had previously had the disease.
“It was staggering to me that such a vital service was so inaccessible. I unintentionally became an advocate for raising awareness of the problem and looking for a solution with the help of my MP and the Spinal Injuries Association.”
For Jane, following the diagnosis she had a mastectomy, but due to a weakened immune system as a result of her spinal injury, she had to decide against having chemotherapy due to the risk it posed to her.
Jane, who runs her own HR business, said: “Of course the question is would this cancer have been detected by a mammogram 6 months earlier, and if so would it have been early enough to stop it spreading to my lymph nodes? I will never know the answer, but I want to do what I can to ensure other people don’t face the same fate.”
Following on from Jane’s experience, Dr Roisin Bradley, Consultant Radiologist at York and Scarborough NHS Trust, and Director of Breast Screening for North Yorkshire, has been looking for a solution to the problem of imaging disabled clients with mammograms. But it was at a research meeting in March 2023 that led to this unexpected breakthrough.
Dr Bradley, who is based at the Magnolia Centre at York Hospital, said: “It really stuck with me that we should be able to do more to improve access to mammography.
“I met Dr Zhu at a research meeting designed to bring clinicians and researchers together in March last year and after seeing the work he was doing I asked if he might have a solution for our problem.
“That was the start of the working group and with thanks to the Cancer research UK funding it really feels like this is the first step forward in ensuring mammograms are accessible to everyone.”
The team is exploring the use of robotics and Embodied AI, a type of AI that physically interacts with its environment or people, to assist people with limited or no mobility during a mammography ensuring equal access for all.
Dr Zhu, from the University of York’s Institute for Safe Autonomy and the school of physics, engineering and technology, who is leading the work and has previously developed assistive dressing robots, said: “We will employ a robotics system that consists of two collaborative robots that work to hold the weight of an individual and rotate them into the necessary position. Using force torque sensors and infrared thermal cameras we can track posture during screening. This will be used as feedback for the robot to provide the right support and movement for a correct position.”
This research will first develop a pioneering prototype to gather data. It is then hoped the data can be used to get additional funding for more investigation and analysis, with the ultimate goal to develop a commercially viable breast screening assistance system for use around the world.
Speaking about the work Jane said: “When Dr Bradley contacted me about the potential of this project I was so excited. It has the potential to change the future of screening and offers a lot of hope for people with paralysis like mine. I am delighted to be part of the project to help develop the robot.”
The team are hoping their story will inspire people to support Cancer Research UK by signing up to their local Race for Life to help raise funds for more work like this. To sign up go to: raceforlife.org
Jane said: “I’m so grateful to Cancer Research UK for this funding, which will enable the first stage of work to take place.
“While the charity might be better known for developing drugs and treatments we receive when diagnosed with cancer, this shows how it’s also working hard to improve early diagnosis for everyone.
“I’d encourage everyone to sign up for Race for Life and back life-saving research.”
Lisa Millett, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson in North Yorkshire, said: “We are so grateful to Jane, Dr Zhu, Dr Bradley and all the team in York for this incredible work.
“We’d love for as many people as possible across North Yorkshire and beyond to join us at Race for Life. It’s a fun and achievable challenge for everyone and we mean everyone. Walk, jog, run or take on the course however it suits best. It’s a chance to feel the power of moving together with fellow Race for Lifers and have fun with it.”
