A healthcare technology company specializing in artificial intelligence claims that its software can detect the extent of prostate cancer more accurately than traditional medical evaluations.
Avenda Health, in a recent study involving ten physicians who each analyzed 50 prostate cancer cases, found that its Unfold AI software achieved a detection accuracy of 84.7%. In contrast, the doctors’ manual assessments yielded accuracy rates ranging from 67.2% to 75.9%.
This study, conducted in collaboration with UCLA Health and published in the Journal of Urology, revealed that when AI was used to assist with cancer contouring, the predictions for cancer size were 45 times more accurate and consistent compared to assessments made without AI.
According to Dr. Shyam Natarajan, an assistant adjunct professor at UCLA and the study’s senior author, the integration of AI assistance made physicians both more accurate and consistent, enhancing agreement among doctors during evaluations.
Dr. Wayne Brisbane, an assistant professor of urology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, noted that while doctors typically rely on MRI scans to assess tumor size, there are instances where tumors are not visible on such scans. In these cases, AI serves as a valuable tool.
Brisbane emphasized that the implementation of AI in cancer treatment could significantly enhance personalized care for patients, allowing for treatment plans that are more closely aligned with individual needs and ultimately more effective in combating the disease. He also remarked that AI has the potential to exceed human capabilities.
Dr. Natarajan, CEO of Avenda Health, expressed enthusiasm regarding the validation of their technology through studies and recognition from the American Medical Association.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 8 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and about 1 in 44 men will succumb to the disease. The society estimates that in 2023, there will be 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S., with 35,250 fatalities.