New Delhi, Mar 17: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being seen as a transformative tool in addressing global disparities in cancer care, with experts highlighting its potential to expand access to diagnosis, treatment and education, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The issue was discussed in a recent episode of Global Health Unpacked, where Dr Gvantsa Khizanishvili spoke with Dr Julie Gralow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on the growing role of AI in cancer care.
Experts noted that AI technologies can help bridge gaps in specialist availability by enabling frontline healthcare workers to access expert-level guidance.
Tools such as real-time translation of medical guidelines, multilingual chatbots and decision-support systems can also empower patients and improve understanding of treatment options.
AI is also being used to enhance clinical trial matching, allowing more patients to access experimental therapies. Additionally, the use of real-world data is helping reduce biases in research, making findings more representative and inclusive.
In diagnostics and treatment planning, including radiation therapy, AI-driven systems are enabling faster and more accurate assessments, potentially expanding access in regions with limited medical infrastructure.
The discussion also highlighted AI’s role in accelerating drug discovery, which could lead to faster development of new cancer therapies.
However, experts cautioned that the adoption of AI must address key challenges, including data privacy, ethical concerns and infrastructure limitations.
They emphasised the importance of ensuring that technological innovation remains patient-centric and does not widen existing inequalities.
The conversation underscored that while AI holds significant promise, its effective deployment will depend on inclusive policies, robust safeguards and global collaboration.
