Dr. Alan McMillan, principal investigator of the Molecular Imaging Technology Research Program (MITRP), is a key collaborator on a newly funded project that aims to harness artificial intelligence to improve patient care. In partnership with Dr. Courtney Balentine of the UW Division of Endocrine Surgery, Dr. McMillan has been awarded a two-year, $69,000 pilot grant from the Palliative and Supportive Care Disease-oriented Team at the UW Carbone Cancer Center. This project extends MITRP’s mission of applying advanced technology to gain new information, in this case focusing on enhancing the communication between cancer patients and their surgeons.
The research directly addresses the challenge of preparing patients for the short- and long-term impacts of cancer surgery. To do this, the project will develop a chatbot using large language models (LLMs), a sophisticated form of AI. This tool is not meant to replace surgeon-patient discussions, but to serve as an interactive, educational companion. It will provide patients with a platform to learn about how treatment typically affects daily life and what to expect during recovery.
Using thyroid cancer as the initial case study, the chatbot will be trained on a rich, existing qualitative dataset that explores the real-world effects of treatment on patient quality of life, physical function, and cognitive function. The development process includes a crucial validation phase where 20 patients who have already completed thyroid cancer treatment will engage with the chatbot. Their feedback will help assess the accuracy of the information provided, the overall acceptability of the technology, and the feasibility of using it in a clinical setting.
If this initial phase proves successful, the work could serve as a model for developing similar LLM tools for other cancer-related surgeries. The long-term vision is to apply for funding to conduct a randomized trial to test the chatbot’s effectiveness in improving the quality of decision-making and recovery. Ultimately, this research aims to enhance the quality of postoperative survivorship for patients with cancer by better preparing them for the journey ahead.
Read the original story in the UW Department of Surgery news here: UW Surgery and Radiology Faculty Awarded Pilot Grant from UW Carbone Cancer Center