Tool Developed to Predict Survival in Cancer Patients

Scientists at the U.S.-based “Mass General Brigham” have introduced a new artificial intelligence system designed to estimate treatment outcomes and survival probability in cancer patients using only a photograph of the face.

The newly developed AI model was tested using more than 40 million facial images of people of different ages and ethnic backgrounds.

The system’s main feature is that it does not simply determine a person’s actual age. Instead, it estimates how old the person appears and uses that information to help generate prognostic estimates for cancer patients.

“FAHR-FaceAge” estimates a patient’s biological age and uses it to assess survival probability in cancer cases.

“FAHR-FaceSurvival” is designed to estimate survival probability directly from a facial photograph.

According to Hugo Aerts, one of the leaders of the research team, the study demonstrated that an AI model may be able to use a simple photograph to help estimate survival outcomes in cancer patients.

The research suggests that biological age may be linked to a person’s overall physical condition and could provide additional information about how well a patient might tolerate treatment.

In the future, this type of AI analysis could serve as an additional tool for doctors when selecting treatments, assessing possible complications, and making clinical decisions.