Barts Health tests AI-assisted decision support in live breast cancer team meetings

Few meetings in medicine carry as much weight as the cancer multidisciplinary team session. Surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and pathologists gather to decide what happens next for a patient, often working through dozens of cases in a single sitting. Now one London hospital group is testing whether software can make that process faster and more consistent.

AstraZeneca and Barts Health NHS Trust have launched an 18-month collaborative working project built around Deontics' Cancer Pathways IQ. It is the first live deployment of the technology inside an operational breast cancer MDT. Earlier work happened outside real clinical workflows. This one does not.

How will it work?

Cancer Pathways IQ is designed to support the MDT, not replace it. The tool draws on patient information and clinical pathway logic to help prepare cases and structure discussion, so that clinicians spend less time gathering data and more time weighing options. Final treatment decisions stay with the clinicians in the room.

The project is described as a collaborative working arrangement. That means AstraZeneca, the trust and Deontics are working together over the 18 months, rather than a vendor simply installing a product. The aim is to modernise how the breast cancer team operates day to day, and the live setting means the tool will be judged on whether it fits real clinic routines.

Why does it matter?

MDT meetings are a bottleneck in many health systems. Case volumes keep rising, preparation is largely manual, and the quality of discussion can vary with time pressure. Any tool that tightens preparation and keeps pathways consistent could shorten the wait between diagnosis and treatment. In breast cancer, that interval matters.

But evidence will decide this, not enthusiasm. An 18-month live trial should show whether the technology saves clinician time, reduces variation and earns the trust of the people using it. That last point is often where digital tools fail.

The involvement of a pharmaceutical company is also worth watching. Industry partnerships can bring funding and momentum. They also invite questions about governance and independence, and the trust will need to be clear about where the boundaries lie.

The context

For the GCC, this is a familiar story. Cancer care is a stated priority across the region, and breast cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women in several Gulf states. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 health transformation programme and the UAE's national digital health strategies both push for connected, data-driven care. Tumour boards in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai face the same pressures as London: more cases, more complex treatment options, and a shortage of specialist time.

So the Barts results will be relevant well beyond the NHS. If decision support proves it can work inside a live MDT, Gulf health systems with strong digital infrastructure and national health records are well placed to adopt similar tools quickly. If it struggles, the reasons will be just as useful.

Regional health leaders should follow this project closely. The technology matters, but the lessons on workflow, clinician trust and industry partnership may matter more.