AI could transform cancer diagnosis, says prime minister

Theresa May says artificial intelligence could revolutionise diagnosis of chronic diseases and save 22,000 lives a year by 2033. Prime minister Theresa May is set to call on the NHS, health charities and the artificial intelligence (AI) sector to utilise emerging technologies to transform the diagnosis of chronic diseases. Speaking in Macclesfield on 21 May, the prime minister will announce plans, as part of the government’s industrial strategy, to improve early diagnosis of a range of cancers through the use of big data and AI. The plans, the government said, will see “at least 50,000 people” each year being able to get an early diagnosis of several cancers – including prostate, ovarian, lung and bowel cancer – which it believes will save around 20,000 lives each year by 2033. The government sees data as key to improving early diagnosis, where clinicians can cross-reference genetics, personal habits and medical records with nationally held data to spot early stages of cancer, and being able to refer patients to oncology “even ahead of clear symptoms developing”.