Indian AI Cancer Care Platform Showcased at BRICS Summit
iOncology.ai, developed by AIIMS and C-DAC, gains global attention in BRICS journal for revolutionizing cancer care.
An Indian artificial intelligence platform, iOncology.ai, has taken center stage at the recent BRICS Summit. The platform, designed to transform cancer care, was highlighted in a special edition of The BRICS Health Journal during the summit held on September 12-13.
Development and Purpose
iOncology.ai is a collaborative creation by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, with backing from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The platform aims to integrate cancer-related clinical data to enhance early detection, risk assessment, treatment planning, multidisciplinary review, and the management of patient data over time.
Research and Validation
A review titled “Transforming cancer care in emerging economies: India’s AI innovation,” authored by Ashok Sharma and colleagues from AIIMS and C-DAC, examines the potential of AI in improving cancer screening, early diagnosis, and access to specialist care. Currently, iOncology.ai is in the pilot stage of clinical validation and implementation evaluation. It is being tested to assess its performance and potential application in clinical environments.
Dr. Ashok Sharma emphasized the opportunity for India to demonstrate how innovations like iOncology.ai can address cancer-care disparities across the Global South. He stressed the importance of BRICS collaboration in enhancing cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment through evidence-based, interoperable solutions tailored to emerging economies.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Despite its promising capabilities, iOncology.ai is yet to be clinically validated. It is still in the research phase, with no peer-reviewed evidence confirming its diagnostic accuracy or clinical utility. Prospective multicenter validation will be necessary before it can be widely adopted in clinical settings.
The review highlights the significant cancer burden faced by BRICS countries, which account for over 40% of the global population and report approximately 9 million new cancer cases and 4.66 million deaths annually. It underscores the disparities in cancer patterns and access to care across these nations.
iOncology.ai is part of India’s broader cancer-control and digital-health efforts, which include initiatives like population screening, cancer surveillance, tertiary care, and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. The platform currently utilizes Indian clinical, radiological, and histopathological datasets, with plans to incorporate genetic data and integrate with electronic health-record systems.