In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have unlocked enormous potential to transform healthcare. One particularly promising project in this field is the AI Tumor Board, led by experts from the University Hospital Zurich (USZ), the Zurich Children’s Hospital (Kispi), and the University of Zurich (UZH). The goal of the project is to create an AI-powered platform that provides oncologists with crucial information for personalized treatment decisions for cancer patients. By leveraging medical guidelines and routinely collected clinical data, the AI Tumor Board offers a new way to analyze patient data and predict the most effective treatments.

The AI Tumor Board project is structured into three key phases. First, AI is used to align patient data with established treatment guidelines, which are often available in extensive, unstructured formats and can be difficult to access. In this step, AI tools help structure and simplify this information so that doctors can pose specific questions, such as: “What are the best treatment options for a particular type of cancer?” This streamlined data processing enables decisions that are better tailored to the needs of individual patients.

The next phase uses AI algorithms to analyze historical data on treatments and their outcomes. This allows the system to predict the potential success and side effects of a treatment for individual patients. By incorporating the unique clinical and genetic information of each case, AI identifies patterns that suggest the most beneficial therapies. This predictive approach, informed by insights from past cases, provides a personalized perspective that could improve survival rates and reduce the risk of adverse effects for cancer patients in advanced stages.

The ultimate aim of the project is to integrate these AI tools into a user-friendly dashboard available to oncologists in the Tumor Boards at USZ and Kispi. With this interactive tool, professionals can quickly access evidence-based treatment recommendations, taking into account both established and innovative options for patient care. By consolidating multiple data sources, the AI Tumor Board empowers clinicians to deliver truly personalized cancer treatment, aiming for a future where data-driven insights guide every phase of the patient care journey.

This project is made possible by the Promedica Foundation.