A new study is set to investigate whether artificial intelligence (AI) can assist medical professionals in making improved treatment decisions for prostate cancer. The Vanguard Path study, spearheaded by researchers at the University of Oxford, has received funding of £1.9 million from the charity Prostate Cancer UK.
Despite advancements in the safety and accuracy of prostate cancer diagnoses, determining the aggressiveness of the disease in individual patients remains a challenge. This uncertainty can lead to unnecessary surgical interventions or radiotherapy when monitoring might have sufficed.
The research team will first evaluate the AI technology known as the ArteraAI Prostate Biopsy Assay on biopsy samples from patients who have already been diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, with at least five years of follow-up data available. The study aims to compare the predictions made by the AI tool with actual patient outcomes.
Subsequently, the technology will be tested in clinical settings, focusing on biopsies from newly diagnosed patients, particularly in cases where determining the optimal treatment approach is difficult. The participating NHS sites include North Bristol NHS Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Professor Clare Verrill, the lead researcher, expressed that the trial “will pave the way for advanced AI technologies” to be implemented within the NHS. She emphasized that this initiative will provide more detailed and precise information, empowering men to make better-informed decisions alongside their clinical teams regarding whether they can be safely monitored or require treatment.
Dr. Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, highlighted the potential for AI to significantly enhance prostate cancer care. He noted, “AI has the potential to massively improve prostate cancer care and ensure that every man has the most accurate and best treatment plan for his specific cancer.” He added that the collaboration with Artera over the years has led to the development of an exciting AI tool that can only make a substantial impact if thoroughly evaluated.
This project is particularly exciting because it tests the AI technology in real-world environments, providing crucial evidence needed for its broader deployment across the NHS.
Prostate cancer represents the most prevalent cancer among males, with approximately one in eight men being diagnosed during their lifetimes, according to Prostate Cancer UK. The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) reported that around 58,218 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in England in 2024, a rise from the previous year.
André Esteva, co-founder and chief executive of Artera, stated, “We developed the ArteraAI Prostate Biopsy Assay to help improve the lives of prostate cancer patients and have spent years gathering evidence about its potential impact.” He expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with Professor Verrill”s team to maximize the benefits of the test for NHS patients, hoping it will soon lead to personalized prostate cancer care in the UK.
News of this study follows recent announcements that an NHS trial will utilize AI to interpret MRI scans for men suspected of having prostate cancer. When the software identifies a high-risk scan, it will prioritize it for review by radiologists and schedule same-day biopsies for the patients, thus expediting diagnosis and treatment decisions.
