The UK government has announced cuts amounting to millions of pounds in funding for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies used in cancer care, specifically AI auto-contouring for radiotherapy.

This decision has raised concerns among medical experts who warn that it may lead to longer waiting times for treatment and negatively impact patient outcomes.

AI auto-contouring plays a critical role in radiotherapy by mapping out tumors and surrounding healthy tissues using imaging scans.

Traditionally, this contouring process is manual and can take healthcare professionals between 20 to 150 minutes per patient.

In contrast, AI auto-contouring significantly reduces the time needed to under five minutes, with an estimated cost of £10-£15 per patient.

Data indicates that the implementation of AI contouring could shorten waiting times for various cancer treatments.

For breast cancer patients, AI usage could reduce wait times by more than five days; prostate cancer patients could see wait reductions of up to nine days, while lung cancer patients may benefit from a three-day decrease in waiting times.

In May 2024, the Conservative government unveiled a funding commitment of £15.5 million over three years aimed at facilitating the integration of AI auto-contouring technology in hospitals providing radiotherapy.

After the general election, efforts to advance this initiative continued, with webinars and follow-up communications occurring in September to aid radiotherapy departments in installation.

However, in February, Nicola McCulloch, deputy director of specialized commissioning at NHS England, communicated via email that the planned funding had been cancelled, citing a need to reallocate limited investments more strategically.

Consequently, this cancellation means that many radiotherapy departments are likely to revert to traditional, manual contouring processes, a shift that has prompted criticism indicating a regression to less efficient practices.

Radiotherapy UK has conducted analysis suggesting that the withdrawal of funding for AI contouring is projected to add as many as 500,000 extra days to waiting lists for breast, prostate, and lung cancer patients, leading to an expected shortfall of £300,000 per trust among the 51 radiotherapy trusts.

Current statistics reveal already significant delays, with approximately 60% of cancer patients requiring radiotherapy waiting longer than two months, and around 23% waiting over 104 days.

Prof. Pat Price, chair of Radiotherapy UK, voiced grave concerns regarding the government's dual approach of advocating for AI technologies while simultaneously retracting support for their integration into cancer care.

He noted that the decision is likely to exacerbate the challenges posed by severe staff shortages within radiotherapy services, with a noted vacancy rate of 8% nationally.

Reports indicate that some departments may even suspend operations of radiotherapy machines due to insufficient staffing.

Clive Peedell, a consultant clinical oncologist, criticized the funding cuts as a 'catastrophic mistake,' pointing out that a significant proportion of cancer treatment involves radiotherapy.

He emphasized that the increased cancer cases combined with the absence of funding could lead to a reliance on manual treatment planning, ultimately resulting in longer waiting lists and increased staffing demands.

Jane Richards, a radiotherapy services manager, articulated feelings of betrayal and frustration over the funding decision, noting that her department had implemented the AI technology under the assumption that funding was guaranteed.

She highlighted the implications of reduced patient throughput, which could lead to exponentially growing waiting lists and detrimental effects on patient prognoses.

Spencer Goodman, representing the Society of Radiographers, reiterated the importance of AI in improving efficiencies within patient care, aligning with concerns regarding the impact of funding cuts on the ongoing workforce shortages in healthcare.

In response to the criticisms surrounding the funding cuts, a spokesperson for the Department of Health maintained that funding had not been withdrawn, but rather emphasized an overall investment of £70 million in radiotherapy to replace obsolete machinery, assuring that AI is in use across various healthcare sectors, including breast cancer diagnosis.

The spokesperson also noted that the government's national cancer plan is focused on enhancing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research in oncology.