Can AI Help Prostate Cancer Patients? Oxford Study Attempt to Determine Its Benefits

Researchers will examine whether artificial intelligence (AI) can help doctors make better decisions when treating prostate cancer.

A study called The Vanguard Path will be conducted at the University of Oxford in the UK to explore AI's potential to assist prostate cancer patients.

The research is funded by the charitable organisation Prostate Cancer UK, which has provided £1.9 million ($2.4 million) in support.

ArteraAI Prostate Biopsy Assay

The study's subject is a new AI tech called ArteraAI Prostate Biopsy Assay which will be tried various time throughout the research period.

Its initial trial involves examining prostate biopsy samples from men who have already been diagnosed and treated for the disease and have at least five years of supporting data. The study will compare how well ArteraAI's predictions match what happened to actual patients.

Then it will be tested on biopsies from men as they are diagnosed and will be focused on cases in which doctors struggled to decide on the best course of treatment.

Project lead researcher Professor Clare Verrill said the trial will pave the way for the roll out of advanced AI technologies on the National Health Service (NHS) and provide guidance to patients and their medical provider.

'This will enable more detailed and precise information to be provided to men who will be able to make better-informed decisions with their clinical team about whether they can be safely monitored or need treatment,' Verrill said.

AI Trials on Prostate Cancer Detection

News of this study came out after the NHS was reportedly conducting a trial which will have an AI software interpret MRI scans from men suspected of having prostate cancer.

Once the software detects serious risk of contracting the disease, the scans will be sent to radiologists for priority review to book the patient for a same-day biopsy for faster cancer prognosis.

On the other hand, the study on ArteraAI seeks to determine whether it can assist doctors in evaluating the cancer's progress in order to give the best advice.

Artera's Objective

Chief executive and co-founder of Artera Andre Esteva shared that their company's goal for developing the AI tool is to 'help improve lives of prostate cancer patients.'

'We developed the ArteraAI Prostate Biopsy Assay to help improve the lives of prostate cancer patients and have spent years gathering evidence about its potential impact,' he said.

Esteva also shared his eagerness to work with the researchers and hopes their tool 'will soon be used to personalise prostate cancer care for men in the UK.'

Prostate Cancer UK research director Dr. Matthew Hobbs shared they've been working with Artera for years and knows that 'exciting AI tools can only make a difference if they can be properly evaluated,' hence, their funding of this research.

'This new project from Professor Verrill and her team is so exciting, because it tests this new technology in real-world settings, meaning we can deliver the final evidence needed for it to be rolled out across the NHS,' Hobbs said.

UK's Increasing Prostate Cancer Problem

According to Prostate Cancer UK, about one in eight men will have prostate cancer in their lifetime. Meanwhile, the National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) recorded an increase of 58,218 men diagnosed of the disease in 2024, up from 53,462 in 2023.

Artera's new AI tool is a welcome development that can help many people, and depending on the study's results, it might just be the best way to utilize the power of AI.