The University of Hong Kong (HKU), along with the Prince Philip Dental Hospital (PPDH), is making that vision a reality with its new artificial intelligence (AI) clinic focused on early detection of oral cancer.
This isn’t just any clinic; it’s the first of its kind! Opened in April 2025, it’s designed to help people with oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). Think of OPMD as changes in the mouth, like lesions, that could turn into cancer.
The heart of the clinic is OralCancerPredict, a special AI tool created by HKU back in 2021. It’s like a super-smart assistant for dentists, helping them figure out who’s at higher risk of developing cancer from common OPMD types such as oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral lichenoid diseases (OLD). These OPMDs are more likely to become cancerous if not properly monitored.
Why is this so important? Well, oral cancer is a tough one, especially because it’s often found late. Worldwide, about half of those diagnosed survive for five years. In Hong Kong, a significant number of cases are found after the cancer has already advanced. The goal? To catch it sooner using OralCancerPredict, giving people a better shot at treatment.
So, how does this AI wizardry work? The tool uses information collected over almost two decades (2003-2022) from patient records. It looks at things like a patient’s age, medical history, and even microscopic details of tissue samples to calculate a risk score. To ensure it works for different people, it was tested on patients from the United Kingdom and Nigeria, too!
Based on the score, patients are put into high-risk or low-risk groups. If you’re high-risk, surgery might be the best option. If you’re low-risk, regular check-ups and advice might be all you need. This way, resources can be focused where they’re most needed, and people who are unlikely to develop cancer can avoid unnecessary operations.
Here’s the impressive part: OralCancerPredict is about 94% accurate! This is more reliable than current methods for assessing common OPMDs. Plus, it explains its reasoning, so doctors can feel confident in the AI’s suggestions.
And get this: using the AI doesn’t cost patients extra, nor does it require more tests. If your dentist or doctor thinks you should be checked out, they can refer you to the clinic.
Professor Richard Su, along with a team of experts in surgery, medicine, and computer science, is leading this initiative. It’s a team effort, bringing different skills together for the good of the patient.
This AI clinic isn’t just a small step; it’s a huge leap in how healthcare can be delivered. By using data to make smarter decisions, it improves accuracy and allows for quicker action. As the world searches for better ways to detect cancer early, HKU’s clinic could be a model for using technology to improve patient care. Early detection is key, and this clinic is bringing that hope to many.