Researchers have been awarded £5.9 million in funding from Cancer Research UK to explore using artificial intelligence (AI) in cancer treatment trials. The project, a collaboration between the University of Manchester and The Christie cancer hospital, aims to simulate radiotherapy trials using AI-generated “virtual” patients based on real-life data. This innovative approach will enable faster, safer, and more cost-effective testing of treatments compared to traditional clinical trials involving real patients.
The project will focus on various aspects, including patient-specific genetics, tumors, and comparing proton beam therapy with standard radiotherapy for lung cancer patients. This funding will support the project for five years.
The use of AI allows researchers to test treatments more quickly, with virtual trials running on AI-generated patient groups, accelerating research without the delays of traditional trials. The initiative builds on a legacy of pioneering radiotherapy research by The Christie hospital and Cancer Research UK, dating back to the 1920s.
Professor Rob Bristow, the lead researcher, emphasized that this approach will revolutionize how clinical trials are conducted. One lung cancer survivor, Martin Story, who benefited from a clinical trial, expressed his hope that such AI advancements would help improve treatment outcomes for more cancer patients.
This project is one of seven centers of excellence in a nationwide UK network designed to fast-track radiotherapy research, ensuring continued progress in improving cancer treatment.
