The Growing Role of AI in Cancer Care

As cancer care continues to evolve, physicians are facing an increasingly difficult challenge: keeping up with the growing amount of information needed to make treatment decisions.

From new drug approvals and clinical trial results to genetic mutations, treatment resistance, drug interactions and other health conditions, there can be countless factors to consider when caring for a person with cancer. According to Dr. Maurie Markman, professor of medical oncology and therapeutics research at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and president of Medicine and Science for City of Hope, AI could help physicians navigate that complexity.

“I think AI is not only important but is essential as we move forward,” Markman said.

Why Cancer Care Is So Complex

Markman explained that cancer is not a single disease. There are numerous cancer types, subtypes and biological differences that can affect how a person's disease develops and responds to treatment.

At the same time, treatment options have expanded significantly over the past several decades. Physicians now have to consider a growing number of therapies, clinical trials and potential treatment sequences.

For patients, this can make an already overwhelming experience even more complicated.

A person may also have other health conditions or take several medications unrelated to their cancer. Those factors can affect which treatments are appropriate and whether certain therapies could cause additional risks or interactions.

“It's impossible for any oncologist, I'm sorry, doesn't matter how specialized they are, to be able to answer all the questions that I'm suggesting may be present,” Markman said.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement for the Doctor

Markman emphasized that AI should not replace a physician's clinical judgment.

Instead, he views AI as a companion or an additional source of information that can help doctors consider information they may not have immediately recalled.

For example, an AI system could potentially help a physician review information about a patient's other health conditions, medications, clinical trial data or relevant research.

The physician would then use that information alongside their own knowledge and experience to determine what may be appropriate for the individual patient.

Markman compared this concept to receiving a “curbside opinion” from another physician — asking a colleague what they think about a particular case and using that discussion to help inform the next step.

“It doesn't give you the answers. It helps,” he said. “They provide input, insight. They do not take over for you. They make you a better doctor.”

For patients, that distinction is important. AI-generated information still needs to be reviewed by a qualified health care professional who understands the patient's individual circumstances.

AI Could Help Physicians Keep Up With New Information

One potential benefit of AI is its ability to process large amounts of information.

Cancer research and treatment options are constantly changing. New studies are published, therapies are approved and researchers continue to learn more about how cancers develop and become resistant to treatment.

Markman said AI could help physicians bring together information from sources such as clinical trials, treatment guidelines and published research.

It could also potentially help physicians identify questions they may want to explore further.

The goal, he explained, would not be for AI to tell a physician what treatment to give a patient. Instead, it could help the physician ask better questions and consider information that may otherwise be difficult to keep track of.

AI's Role May Extend Beyond Oncologists

AI could also be useful for physicians who do not specialize in cancer but regularly care for people with cancer.

Markman pointed to primary care physicians and other specialists who may be asked questions about cancer by their patients.

A person with cancer may also have diabetes, heart disease or another medical condition that needs to be considered alongside their cancer treatment. AI could potentially help these physicians find relevant information as they work with their patients and communicate with the oncology team.

Markman said data from a Medscape survey of physicians in multiple countries showed that cancer was the most commonly requested disease area in the report, with treatment-related questions making up a significant portion of those questions.

He noted that many of the physicians using AI were not cancer specialists, highlighting the potential for these tools to support doctors across different areas of medicine.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five to 10 years, Markman expects AI's role in cancer care to continue growing.

However, he said there will also need to be safeguards to ensure that AI platforms remain reliable and focused on providing accurate, useful information.

He also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, particularly as AI platforms become more closely connected with commercial organizations.

For patients, Markman sees an opportunity for reliable AI platforms to eventually become another source of trustworthy cancer education.

He believes these tools could help people find accurate information while reducing their reliance on potentially misleading information shared across social media.

“I see this being an incredible form of education, and overcoming the scourge, the pandemic we have in misinformation as relates to cancer,” he said.

Ultimately, Markman said the value of AI will depend on how responsibly these technologies are developed and used.

As cancer care becomes more complex, AI may provide physicians with another way to organize information, explore questions and support clinical decision-making — while the physician remains at the center of the relationship with the patient.

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