Artificial intelligence is outperforming doctors when it comes to detecting common cancers in men.
A new UCLA study found that AI tools identified prostate cancer with 84% accuracy, compared with 67% accuracy for doctor-detected cases, according to a UCLA press release.
Unfold AI, developed by California-based Avenda Health, is a recently U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved software that uses AI algorithms to visualize the likelihood of cancer based on different types of clinical data.
In the study, a team of seven urologists and three radiologists analyzed 50 cases in which tumors had been removed, looking for signs of residual cancer.
A few months later, the AI software ran the same analysis.
“The ‘negative margin rate’ – a medical term that refers to the absence of cancer cells around the removed tissue – was 45 times higher in cases detected by AI, meaning that cancer was much less likely to remain.
Urologist Ali Kasreian, MD, of Kasreian Urology in Jacksonville, Florida, said he uses Unfold AI technology when consulting with patients about managing their prostate cancer.
“The AI takes the information we currently have about a patient’s prostate cancer — pathology, imaging, biopsy results, etc. — and creates a 3D estimated map of the cancer,” he told Fox News Digital in an email.
“Results from Unfold AI will inform whether patients are suitable for localized therapy or more definitive treatments such as radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy, allowing us to optimize cancer care, personalize cancer treatment and quality of life goals.”
Based on these findings, the researchers write, AI could lead to more accurate diagnoses and more targeted treatments, potentially reducing the need for removal of the entire gland and its associated side effects, such as incontinence and impotence.
Dr. Joshua Truckenberg, a professor of neurobiology at UCLA and a prostate cancer patient, said that when doctors found a slow-growing tumor in his prostate and recommended surgically removing it, he decided to explore other options.
“I have been in contact with a team at UCLA, where I am also a faculty member, to explore alternatives to a complete gland removal,” Truckenberg, 56, told Fox News Digital in an email.
The UCLA researchers were testing a technique that uses ultrasound to heat tissue and then “guid[s]” it with MRI to destroy the cancerous tissue without damaging the rest of the gland, he said.
After several imaging scans, it was determined that Trachenberg was a candidate for the experimental treatment.
“The 3D map created by Unfold AI enabled the team to identify the exact borders, target the cancerous areas and avoid the functional structures of the gland,” he said.
“It really helped me visualize my cancer and understand my symptoms better.”
Trachenberg is now cancer-free and was able to avoid radical prostate removal surgery.
“Many men are afraid of the treatment because of the risks associated with removing the glands. Unfold AI delivers a treatment that doesn’t put men through the meat grinder,” he said.
Trachenberg told Fox News Digital that this kind of AI technology offers hope for the future of prostate cancer treatment.
“Often we only have two options: either watch it get worse or remove the entire gland, which often leaves people with lifelong side effects that put a strain on their physical and mental health and even their marriages,” he said.
“We encourage prostate cancer patients who have been told they need radical prostatectomy to take the time to explore all their options. [including] “AI Technology”
Potential risks and limitations
Dr. Harvey Castro, a Dallas, Texas-based emergency medicine physician and national speaker on artificial intelligence, was not involved in the new study but shared his perspective on the potential risks associated with the technology.
“The accuracy of AI depends heavily on the quality of the data it is trained on,” he told Fox News Digital. “Poor quality data can lead to inaccurate diagnoses.”
Castro also warned against “over-reliance” on AI.
“AI is a powerful tool, but it must complement, not replace, the clinical judgement of health care professionals,” he said.
“AI is our ally in new diagnostics,” Castro added, “but like any tool, AI works best in human hands.”
Castro said privacy also needs to be considered when using this type of technology.
“Handling sensitive patient data with AI requires strict data protection measures to maintain patient trust and confidentiality.”
The cost of AI technology could also be a major barrier, Kasreian added.
“We hope this study will encourage us and future payers to make these innovations more accessible to urologists and, most importantly, patients.”
