In 2020, Could Artificial Intelligence Help Cure Cancer?

Time is of the essence when it comes to treating cancer, the second leading cause of death in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between diagnosis and the first day of treatment, days and even weeks may tick by as doctors convene to discuss treatment plans and order testing to gather as much information as possible. But as a new decade dawns, artificial intelligence may buy more time for those who need it most. Both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have promised to prioritize curing cancer should they win the 2020 election. But because of its complex biology, cancer has been historically difficult to cure with a pill or injection. As new treatments like immunotherapy undergo further research, health systems are starting to harness data-sharing and artificial intelligence to better predict a patient's prognosis, and determine the most effective treatment plan for their cancer based on other patients with similar medical histories.