AI is transforming cancer diagnosis and treatment – Chinese expert
Oncology has long been one of medicine's greatest challenges. Pancreatic and bladder cancers, known for their insidious nature, were often detected too late. Today, AI is opening a new era: it can see what the human eye cannot, analyse mutations at the pixel level, and turn a death sentence into a manageable chronic condition.
On Friday at WAIC 2026 in Shanghai, Professor Liu Yingbin from Renji Hospital said that bladder and pancreatic cancers have insidious early symptoms, and AI can significantly improve early screening. "Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is extremely difficult. Nine out of ten patients will not survive more than five years. This highlights the critical importance of early detection," Liu said. "AI has fundamentally changed the diagnostic model. After computing hundreds of gene mutations, AI helps detect cancer at early stages," he added.
Dr Xia Yuhan presented an AI model for gallbladder cancer diagnosis. "When a doctor looks at a CT scan, he sees only outlines. AI analyses images at the pixel level, providing more accurate results," he explained. Liu Yingbin expressed optimism: "Fifty years ago, cancer was considered incurable. Now it is classified as a chronic disease."
WAIC 2026 brought together more than 1,100 companies and 300 new products. The medical forum was a key platform for discussing AI in healthcare.
As CCTV+ reports. Chinese specialists' developments show that AI is already changing clinical practice, bringing medicine closer to a personalised and highly precise approach in cancer treatment.
