iOncology.ai Gains Global Spotlight in BRICS Health Journal

An Indian artificial intelligence platform, iOncology.ai, designed to enhance cancer care, has been prominently featured in a special issue of the BRICS Health Journal. This development was highlighted during the BRICS Summit held on September 12-13, where the journal was officially inaugurated.

Collaboration in Development

The iOncology.ai platform is a collaborative effort between the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, with support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Its primary aim is to integrate cancer-related clinical data to facilitate early detection, risk assessment, treatment planning, multidisciplinary review, and longitudinal patient-data management.

The platform is currently in the pilot stage of clinical validation, undergoing implementation evaluation to determine its effectiveness and potential for clinical use. Dr. Ashok Sharma from AIIMS New Delhi emphasized the opportunity for India to showcase how locally developed innovations like iOncology.ai can address cancer-care disparities, particularly in the Global South.

Addressing Global Cancer Care Disparities

The review titled “Transforming cancer care in emerging economies: India’s AI innovation” explores how AI can enhance cancer screening, early diagnosis, and access to specialist care. The BRICS nations, accounting for over 40% of the global population, face significant cancer-related challenges, with approximately 9 million new cases and 4.66 million deaths annually. The review underscores the disparities in cancer patterns and access to care among these countries.

iOncology.ai is positioned within India's growing cancer-control and digital-health infrastructure, which includes population screening, cancer surveillance, tertiary care, and initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. The platform utilizes curated Indian clinical, radiological, and histopathological datasets, with plans to incorporate genetic data and integrate with electronic health-record systems.

Future Prospects and Challenges

Despite its promising potential, iOncology.ai is not yet clinically validated, as it is still in the research phase without peer-reviewed evidence confirming its diagnostic accuracy or clinical utility. Dr. Sharma highlighted the importance of evidence-based, interoperable solutions tailored to the needs of emerging economies to strengthen cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Prospective multicentre validation will be essential before iOncology.ai can be widely adopted in clinical settings. The platform's development and evaluation represent a significant step toward more equitable cancer care, especially in resource-constrained environments.