The NHS is launching a major study to examine whether artificial intelligence can help doctors make better treatment decisions for men with prostate cancer.
Current diagnostic methods are safer and more accurate than before, yet clinicians still struggle to judge how aggressive each patient’s cancer really is. Because of this uncertainty, some men undergo invasive treatments such as surgery or radiotherapy when simple monitoring might have been enough.
The new Vanguard Path study, led by the University of Oxford and funded with £1.9m from Prostate Cancer UK, aims to close this gap. Researchers will test an AI tool called the ArteraAI Prostate Biopsy Assay, using prostate biopsy samples from men who were treated in the past and have at least five years of follow-up data. They will compare the tool’s predictions with patients’ actual outcomes.
In the next phase, the AI will be tested in everyday NHS clinics on men who are newly diagnosed, especially in cases where doctors find it hard to decide the best treatment plan.
North Bristol NHS Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will all take part in the trial.
Professor Clare Verrill, the project’s lead researcher, said the study will help bring advanced AI into routine NHS care. She said it will give men clearer, more detailed information so they can make informed decisions with their doctors about whether they can be safely monitored or should begin treatment.
Dr Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said AI could “massively improve” prostate cancer care by ensuring every patient receives the most accurate and personalised plan. He stressed that real-world testing is crucial before the technology can be rolled out nationally.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Around one in eight will develop it, and more than 58,000 men in England were diagnosed in 2024, according to the National Prostate Cancer Audit.
Artera’s chief executive, Andre Esteva, said the company has spent years developing the biopsy assay and gathering evidence of its potential. He hopes the new study will show how it can improve personalised care for men across the NHS.
The announcement comes shortly after news of another NHS trial using AI to read MRI scans for suspected prostate cancer. High-risk scans flagged by the software will be sent to radiologists for urgent review, allowing same-day biopsies and faster diagnosis.
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