Optimization of Screening Protocols for Cervical Cancer Using Machine Learning Algorithms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a highly prevalent malignancy affecting women worldwide, ranking as the seventh most common cancer globally. This study aims to systematically review and analyze cervical cancer survival predictions using machine learning (ML) algorithms. A comprehensive search was conducted across Scopus and PubMed databases in February 2024. Extracted articles were screened using Hubmeta software, with duplicates and non-relevant studies excluded. The final selection, comprising 24 articles, focused on survival predictions through ML techniques. These studies, published mostly post-2019, included datasets ranging from 75 to 9,462 cervical cancer patients and up to 91,294 squamous cell samples. The most commonly applied ML models were Random Forest (RF), Neural Networks (NN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Ensemble and Hybrid Learning, and Deep Learning (DL). The area under the curve (AUC) for these models ranged from 0.84 to 0.9875, demonstrating their strong predictive capabilities. Clinical patient records were the primary data source. Meta-analysis was performed on the extracted data using GraphPad Prism for descriptive statistics and One-Way ANOVA. No significant differences were found between group means, as evidenced by an R-squared value of 0.1459. This result indicates that the independent variable (year of study) explained only 14.59% of the variance in ML model performance. The study found that the use of ML models has increased over time, particularly with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) such as the ResNet50 model, which demonstrated superior accuracy metrics, including over 90% accuracy for the ResNet152 variant. These findings suggest that integrating multi-dimensional data with ML models holds significant potential for improving survival predictions in cervical cancer patients. Future research is recommended to develop tailored ML algorithms with even higher predictive accuracy for cervical cancer survival.