Hybrid Quantum Neural Networks for Enhanced Breast Cancer Thermographic Classification: A Novel Quantum-Classical Integration Approach

Breast cancer diagnosis through thermographic image analysis remains a critical challenge in medical AI, with classical deep learning approaches facing limitations in complex thermal pattern classification tasks. This paper presents a novel Hybrid Quantum Neural Network (HQNN) architecture that integrates quantum computing principles with classical convolutional neural networks for enhanced breast cancer classification. Our approach employs parameterized quantum circuits with multi-head attention mechanisms for quantum-aware feature encoding, coupled with classical convolutional layers for comprehensive pattern recognition. The quantum component utilizes a 4qubit variational circuit with strongly entangling layers, while the classical component incorporates advanced attention mechanisms for feature fusion. Experimental validation on breast cancer thermographic data demonstrates substantial performance improvements over state-of-the-art classical architectures, with the quantum-enhanced approach exhibiting superior convergence dynamics and enhanced feature representation capabilities. Our findings provide evidence for quantum advantage in medical image classification through classical simulation, establishing a framework for quantum-classical hybrid systems in healthcare applications. The methodology addresses key challenges in quantum machine learning deployment while maintaining computational feasibility on near-term quantum devices.