What is the current role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping an endometrial cancer care plan? Expert Dr. Dario Roque explains his perspective on how AI is being used in cancer care today, its potential benefits and limitations, and he shares how patients can critically evaluate the health information they encounter online.
Dr. Dario Roque is a Gynecologic Oncologist and an Associate Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at Northwestern Medicine. Learn more about Dr. Roque.
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Transcript
Katherine Banwell:
Dr. Roque, how is artificial intelligence or digital health beginning to influence diagnosis or endometrial cancer treatment planning?
Dr. Dario Roque:
Yes, I think the way that it’s being currently used, I see a lot of benefit for the patient education perspective. Because you can type in some of your symptoms, or if you want to learn more about a specific condition, a lot of these large language models are AI that can give you a very detailed explanation about what to expect for the treatment, recommend whether to go see someone, or the specialist that you might need to go see. I don’t think we are at a place yet where we are using artificial intelligence for the purpose of therapy sequencing or therapy recommendations.
But I do think, as we start to integrate a lot of the data that we’re able to collect from surgery, biopsies, molecular testing, treatment options, I do think that artificial intelligence can help personalize some of those treatments or the treatment pathway for patients in the future. But I think right now, I think of it mostly as a tool to help patients understand their disease better. Certainly, the way that we use it in clinic today can help us write the notes a little bit quicker. When we’re talking to patients, rather than looking at the computer and typing our notes, there are programs right now that can listen to a conversation and help us write the notes.
So, it gives us a little bit more time with the patient. But I don’t think we’re at a place yet where artificial intelligence is making any of those decisions. It probably could, but I don’t know if I would trust it just yet.
Katherine Banwell:
I’m concerned, as an older woman myself, that I may not be able to trust all the information that’s on the web. AI doesn’t always get the correct information. So, I’d like your opinion on how much we should depend on AI.
Dr. Dario Roque:
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it is a tool, right, so I would not use artificial intelligence for the purpose of obtaining the best or accurate medical advice. It is not a physician. It’s just essentially showing you information that it has collected from multiple websites and sources. Whether some of those sources are accurate or not, it’s hard to tell. So, I think it’s reasonable to use it as a way to maybe learn more and help you find other sources that might be reputable.
But at the end of the day, I would still very much rely on the opinion of a medical professional for any sort of decisions about the treatment next steps. I would not use AI for the purpose of diagnosing yourself or getting recommendations for the treatment of your condition, and certainly not endometrial cancer.