Incidence of cancer cases in the UK continues to rise year on year, with Macmillan Cancer Support estimating that there are currently 3 million people living with cancer. This figure is expected to rise to 5.3 million by 2040. There are multiple treatment options available to patients, with the majority receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or a combination of different therapies. Chemotherapy is estimated to be used by 28% of all patients with a cancer diagnosis. Whilst chemotherapy has proven to be a useful treatment option for many decades, there are inherent risks of kidney and liver damage associated with its use. Additionally, in current practice, there is no way to assess the risk for individual patients.
We are collaborating with Evergreen Life, Durham University and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the development a proof-of-concept AI tool that can accurately predict the risk of kidney and liver damage in chemotherapy patients. This work, funded by an Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst Grant, will help to identify patients’ relative risk levels, and will allow for tailored management plans. It also has the potential to significantly reduce the number of monitoring appointments for low-risk patients.
This proof-of-concept tool is being rapidly developed, aiming to become a product available for NHS services to purchase that will ultimately benefit patients across the country.
Work to create and validate the AI model by Dr Watson and Dr Al Moubayed at Durham University has led to the development of an interface for the tool by Evergreen Life, allowing clinicians to use the model in clinics. Evergreen Life are drawing on UCLPartners expertise in patient and public involvement and stakeholder engagement to inform the design of the tool. In an initial workshop we brought together key stakeholders across the NHS to understand the potential impact the AI tool could have on patient’s chemotherapy pathways across the country. To enable Evergreen Life to put patient experience at the heart of the development, we also provided strategic advice on patient involvement.
UCLPartners and Evergreen will be hosting a follow-up session in 2024 focusing on the introduction of the tool within the NHS. If you’d like to join us to explore the possible impact and value that AI can have on cancer treatment, please get in touch. We particularly interested to hear from you if you are involved in cancer pathways, the cancer alliance, or if you are a clinical lead, commissioner, researcher or specialist nurse in oncology.