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Cancer: Diagnosis

Asked by Carla LockhartDemocratic Unionist PartyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 3 December 2025UIN 94548

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of AI technologies on early cancer detection.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invests in cancer research via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Department of Health and Social Care via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). UKRI and NIHR support research which explores the impact of AI on cancer diagnosis, including the NIHR £11 million Edith trial (using AI to assist radiologists in breast cancer screening). AI presents significant opportunities for improving outcomes and diagnosis for cancer patients and driving faster triage of patients with suspected symptoms. Evaluations of the impact of AI on cancer diagnosis are ongoing.

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