Utilizing Infrared Thermography for Assessing Breast Cancer Treatment Progression

Breast cancer is a significant cause of mortality worldwide, highlighting the need for effective monitoring methods. This study introduces a methodology for monitoring breast cancer treatment by utilizing thermographic examinations, which offer a non-invasive and sensitive approach to tracking temperature changes. To accomplish this, data from patients who underwent thermal imaging sessions before and after the neoadjuvant treatment were analyzed. An improved segmentation process, considering tumor location instead of the entire breast, was used in this study. The analyses were conducted based on three different cluster combinations identified by the /.–means algorithm. Time series were built and summarized from each cluster combination to provide a comprehensive understanding of the methodology’s efficacy. Results showed almost 80% accuracy in assessing treatment progression, demonstrating the potential of infrared thermography for monitoring breast cancer treatment. The study contributes to the literature supporting thermography images as a reliable tool for monitoring breast cancer.