The Cuídalas program: an AI-supported community-based approach to breast cancer screening in low-resource settings

Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs related to cancer worldwide. Despite advances in early diagnosis and treatment, mortality rates remain disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries, due to the lack of access to timely and adequate screening programs and healthcare services. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the Cuídalas Program, an artificial intelligence-supported, community-based initiative designed to improve breast cancer screening and follow-up in low-resource areas of Colombia. Rather than constituting an experimental or hypothesis-driven investigation, this report presents aggregated operational indicators derived from routine program implementation between March 2023 and September 2024. During this period, community outreach and mobile diagnostic strategies facilitated access to screening services for 54,970 women across multiple regions. Among those screened, aggregated indicators documented suspicious findings requiring further evaluation and confirmed cancer diagnoses through established referral pathways. Complementary education initiatives engaged 291,330 individuals, reinforcing awareness and early-detection literacy. This program introduces an innovative four-phase strategy: 1) Demand induction supported by artificial intelligence, 2) Organized population screening with portable devices supported by artificial intelligence, 3) Follow-up of the comprehensive care pathway, and 4) Surveillance and notification protocol. The program encompasses three key approaches: 1) Preventive; 2) Predictive; and 3) Resolutive. The Cuídalas Program aims to reduce mortality from late-stage breast cancer diagnoses, decrease potentially avoidable early mortality from breast cancer, lower medical costs, and reduce the need for aggressive treatments.