Is AI the future of prostate cancer treatment?

Worldwide, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in men. In India there are almost 37 thousand new cases and 18 thousand deaths from this disease every year according to Globocan 2022. The mortality rate was found to be increased with an individual’s age; thus, it is the most prevalent among individuals over 66 years, accounting for more than 55% of the total number of deaths.1,2Unfortunately, there are no specific initial symptoms of prostate cancer, and the initial symptoms indicate a benign enlarged prostate that causes urinary tract issues like increased frequency of urine, nocturia (frequent urination at night) and weak urine system. However, at a later stage, the symptoms include pain in the bones, paralysis, and breathing problems. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been rapidly transforming worldwide with innovative applications. The potential of AI in Urology is immense and continues to grow. In urology, there have been immense increase in studies to study the role of AI in Urology. However, one of the most active research areas has been the diagnosis of prostate cancer. It has been found that AI in urology helps in accuracy incorporating multiple modalities like risk factors, imaging and pathology reading. This maximises the accuracy of prediction and diagnosis. So apart from biomarkers like PSA and MRI, AI has been useful in improving accuracy, including improving histopathology. Artificial Intelligence has played a phenomenal role in reducing errors in the field of Urology. Firstly, AI algorithms are specifically designed to manage complex patterns in large datasets. For example, they can analyze cancers in younger and older patients, differentiate between high-grade and low-grade tumours, and consider other complexities like disease stage, treatment side effects, and even financial toxicity. This makes AI a pivotal tool for understanding and managing prostate cancer.Secondly, AI can also process and analyse unstructured data, such as medical images, with remarkable accuracy. AI can interpret MRI findings far more effectively than the human eye, identifying subtle patterns that might otherwise be missed. AI helps in spotting details that are too complex or subtle for doctors to identify manually. It ensures accurate diagnoses, reduces errors, and helps doctors make better treatment decisions for their patients. AI indeed has been a game-changer in the field of urology and is benefitting patients by improving their quality of life. Through advancements in AI algorithms and data generation, prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment has made significant progress.Dr Amit Ghosh, Uro-Oncologist, Apollo Hospital, Kolkata