A new study led by researchers from the Moft Cancer Center and the University of Michigan reveals that AI technology can assist doctors in making better decisions for cancer treatment, but it cannot be relied upon solely. The study highlights the challenges of how doctors and AI technology work together.
The research, published in Nature Communications, focused on AI-assisted radiotherapy for two types of cancer: lung cancer and liver cancer.
Key findings revealed that AI helps make doctors’ decisions more consistent, reducing discrepancies in treatment approaches between different doctors. However, the technology does not always influence the final decision of the doctors. In some cases, doctors disagree with AI’s final suggestions and make decisions based on their experience and the specific factors of the patient.
To test the effects of AI, the researchers asked doctors to make treatment decisions for cancer patients, first without AI assistance and then with the suggestions provided by AI.