Future of Artificial Intelligence Applications in Cancer Care: A Global Cross-Sectional Survey of Researchers

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, necessitating innovative solutions.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) presents potential applications across various oncology domains.
• Understanding AI's specific benefits and adoption barriers in cancer care is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the perceived applications of AI in oncology.
• To identify the key barriers to the widespread adoption of AI in cancer research and clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A global, cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted.
• Over 1000 AI and cancer researchers participated in the survey.

Main Results:

• Most respondents anticipate positive impacts of AI on cancer grading, classification, follow-up services, and diagnostic accuracy.
• Significant barriers include challenges in clinical integration and lack of standardized cancer health data.
• Testing, validation, certification, and auditing of AI systems face considerable hurdles.

Conclusions:

• AI holds significant potential to advance cancer care, but practical implementation is complex.
• Addressing data standardization and clinical integration challenges is essential for realizing AI's full potential in oncology.
• Findings offer insights for researchers, developers, and funding agencies in AI-driven cancer research.