Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant strides in healthcare, notably in the early detection of breast cancer, sometimes years ahead of traditional methods. Now, this groundbreaking technology is being applied to prostate cancer. Researchers at five Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers are collaborating on an AI algorithm to predict aggressive prostate cancer, with plans to expand the study to 14 sites. This initiative will analyze data from over 5,000 veterans diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer who have received initial treatment.

The AI algorithm analyzes diagnostic images such as MRIs and high-resolution biopsy scans, combined with socioeconomic factors like income and location, to identify patterns indicative of aggressive disease progression. The VA emphasizes that incorporating socioeconomic data is a novel approach, recognizing its influence on veterans' health outcomes. Utilizing existing VA resources like the Million Veteran Program and a partnership with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the study leverages cloud storage and computing infrastructure to enhance data analysis.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters.

Comparing scans of a patient with recurrent prostate cancer.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters.

The VA assures minimal cost increases for facilities adopting this technology. Dr. Matthew Rettig, a key investigator, highlights the potential of this digital data repository to revolutionize clinical management for veterans. He envisions this research as a blueprint for developing similar AI algorithms for other cancers and non-cancerous diseases affecting veterans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among American men. The CDC's 2020 data reported over 200,000 new cases and over 32,000 deaths. Prostate cancer accounts for a significant portion of new cancer diagnoses within the VA system, impacting approximately one in eight men during their lifetime.