# Medical Artificial Intelligence for Early Detection of Lung Cancer: A Survey

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.14769 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.14769/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 22 of its 150 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 18 Oct 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 22 of 22)

- [Attention Is All You Need](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1706.03762/) (2017)
- [Deep Residual Learning for Image Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1512.03385/) (2015)
- [Mamba: Linear-Time Sequence Modeling with Selective State Spaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.00752/) (2023)
- [Transformers are SSMs: Generalized Models and Efficient Algorithms Through Structured State Space Duality](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.21060/) (2024)
- [Validation, comparison, and combination of algorithms for automatic detection of pulmonary nodules in computed tomography images: the LUNA16 challenge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1612.08012/) (2016)
- [Motion Mamba: Efficient and Long Sequence Motion Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.07487/) (2024)
- [DeepLung: Deep 3D Dual Path Nets for Automated Pulmonary Nodule Detection and Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.09555/) (2018)
- [BHSD: A 3D Multi-Class Brain Hemorrhage Segmentation Dataset](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.11298/) (2023)
- [InfiniMotion: Mamba Boosts Memory in Transformer for Arbitrary Long Motion Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.10061/) (2024)
- [SegReg: Segmenting OARs by Registering MR Images and CT Annotations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.06956/) (2023)
- [ESA: Annotation-Efficient Active Learning for Semantic Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.13491/) (2024)
- [MSDet: Receptive Field Enhanced Multiscale Detection for Tiny Pulmonary Nodule](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.14028/) (2024)
- [SegStitch: Multidimensional Transformer for Robust and Efficient Medical Imaging Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.00496/) (2024)
- [JointViT: Modeling Oxygen Saturation Levels with Joint Supervision on Long-Tailed OCTA](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.11525/) (2024)
- [Shape and Margin-Aware Lung Nodule Classification in Low-dose CT Images via Soft Activation Mapping](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1810.12494/) (2018)
- [MedDet: Generative Adversarial Distillation for Efficient Cervical Disc Herniation Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.00204/) (2024)
- [No Surprises: Training Robust Lung Nodule Detection for Low-Dose CT Scans by Augmenting with Adversarial Attacks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2003.03824/) (2020)
- [MambaClinix: Hierarchical Gated Convolution and Mamba-Based U-Net for Enhanced 3D Medical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.12533/) (2024)
- [Lung Nodule Segmentation and Uncertain Region Prediction with an Uncertainty-Aware Attention Mechanism](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.08416/) (2023)
- [Deep convolutional neural networks for multi-planar lung nodule detection: improvement in small nodule identification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.04537/) (2020)
- [R2U3D: Recurrent Residual 3D U-Net for Lung Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.02290/) (2021)
- [MESAHA-Net: Multi-Encoders based Self-Adaptive Hard Attention Network with Maximum Intensity Projections for Lung Nodule Segmentation in CT Scan](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.01576/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [PathoHR: Breast Cancer Survival Prediction on High-Resolution Pathological Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.17970/) (2025)
- [PedDet: Adaptive Spectral Optimization for Multimodal Pedestrian Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.14063/) (2025)
- [A Novel Convolutional-Free Method for 3D Medical Imaging Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.05396/) (2025)
- [3D Medical Imaging Segmentation on Non-Contrast CT](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.08361/) (2025)
- [SegTTA: Training-Free Test-Time Augmentation for Zero-Shot Medical Imaging Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.17451/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, making early diagnosis critical for improving therapeutic outcomes and patient prognosis. Computer-aided diagnosis systems, which analyze computed tomography images, have proven effective in detecting and classifying pulmonary nodules, significantly enhancing the detection rate of early-stage lung cancer. Although traditional machine learning algorithms have been valuable, they exhibit limitations in handling complex sample data. The recent emergence of deep learning has revolutionized medical image analysis, driving substantial advancements in this field. This review focuses on recent progress in deep learning for pulmonary nodule detection, segmentation, and classification. Traditional machine learning methods, such as support vector machines and k-nearest neighbors, have shown limitations, paving the way for advanced approaches like Convolutional Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks, and Generative Adversarial Networks. The integration of ensemble models and novel techniques is also discussed, emphasizing the latest developments in lung cancer diagnosis. Deep learning algorithms, combined with various analytical techniques, have markedly improved the accuracy and efficiency of pulmonary nodule analysis, surpassing traditional methods, particularly in nodule classification. Although challenges remain, continuous technological advancements are expected to further strengthen the role of deep learning in medical diagnostics, especially for early lung cancer detection and diagnosis. A comprehensive list of lung cancer detection models reviewed in this work is available at https://github.com/CaiGuoHui123/Awesome-Lung-Cancer-Detection.