AI tool predicts three‑year survival and quality‑of‑life outcomes for head and neck cancer patients

An international research team has created an artificial‑intelligence model that forecasts both the probability of surviving three years after a head and neck cancer diagnosis and the risk that a patient’s quality of life will markedly decline. The system was trained on data from 3,572 participants in the UK‑based Head and Neck 5000 study and evaluates up to 143 variables, including tumor type, stage, treatment, age, socioeconomic status, tobacco and alcohol use, and patient‑reported health.

The study, led by the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan together with researchers from the University of Deusto in Spain, was published in The Lancet Digital Health. According to lead investigator Aitor Almeida, “Gracias a la IA podemos obtener una visión más precisa y más útil para ayudar a los pacientes.” The model aims to help clinicians anticipate complications, tailor follow‑up care, and allocate resources more efficiently for survivors who often face long‑term physical and emotional sequelae.