Avenda Health, an artificial intelligence healthcare company, claims that its software can identify prostate cancer more accurately than traditional methods used by doctors.
A recent study conducted by the company involved ten physicians who evaluated 50 prostate cancer cases each. Avenda’s Unfold AI software achieved an accuracy rate of 84.7% in detecting cancer, while the doctors’ manual assessments ranged between 67.2% and 75.9%.
The research, conducted in cooperation with UCLA Health and published in the Journal of Urology, also revealed that employing AI for cancer contouring enhanced the accuracy of predictions regarding tumor size by 45 times compared to manual methods.
Shyam Natarajan, an assistant adjunct professor of urology, surgery, and bioengineering at UCLA and the study’s senior author, noted that AI assistance not only improved doctors’ accuracy but also increased consistency in their evaluations, leading to greater agreement among physicians.
Typically, physicians utilize MRI scans to ascertain tumor size; however, some tumors are not visible via MRI. Dr. Wayne Brisbane, an assistant professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, emphasized that AI technology can assist in these challenging cases. He stated, “Overall, the use of AI in cancer treatment could lead to more effective and personalized care for patients, with treatments that are better tailored to their individual needs and more successful in combating the disease.”
Dr. Shyam Natarajan, CEO of Avenda Health, expressed that it is empowering for physicians to see such innovations endorsed by studies and recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA).
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 8 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 44 will succumb to the illness. This year, it is estimated that 299,010 new prostate cancer cases will be reported, with 35,250 deaths attributed to the disease.