Avenda Health has announced that its AI software can detect the extent of prostate cancer with greater accuracy than human doctors. In a recent study involving ten doctors assessing 50 prostate cancer cases each, Avenda’s Unfold AI software achieved an accuracy rate of 84.7%. In contrast, the doctors’ manual assessments ranged from 67.2% to 75.9% in accuracy.
Conducted in collaboration with UCLA Health and featured in the Journal of Urology, the study also highlighted the effectiveness of AI in predicting cancer size. When AI was used for cancer contouring, predictions were found to be 45 times more precise compared to assessments made without AI.
Shyam Natarajan, assistant adjunct professor of urology, surgery, and bioengineering at UCLA and the study’s senior author, expressed that AI assistance not only bolstered doctors’ accuracy but also promoted consistency among them.
While doctors typically rely on MRIs to gauge tumor size, Dr. Wayne Brisbane, an assistant professor of urology at UCLA, noted that certain tumors can be “MRI-invisible.” AI technology proves beneficial in these situations, filling the gaps left by traditional imaging.
Brisbane emphasized that using AI in cancer treatment could lead to improved and personalized patient care, allowing for treatments that better align with individual needs and enhance success rates. He added that AI has the potential to surpass human capabilities.
Avenda Health CEO Dr. Shyam Natarajan remarked on the significance of this innovation being validated through research and recognized by the American Medical Association.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 8 men in the United States will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, with 1 in 44 facing mortality from the disease. This year, it is projected that there will be about 299,010 new prostate cancer cases in the U.S., resulting in an estimated 35,250 deaths.