Mass General Brigham Unveils AI Tool to Predict Cancer Patients' Biological Age

2025-05-12 digitalcare

Boston, Monday, 12 May 2025.
Mass General Brigham’s AI tool, FaceAge, uses facial photos to estimate biological age and predict cancer outcomes, potentially transforming clinical treatment decisions and offering insights into patient health.

Groundbreaking AI Technology in Clinical Research

Mass General Brigham researchers have developed FaceAge, an innovative AI algorithm trained on nearly 59,000 photos of presumably healthy individuals from public datasets [1]. The tool has demonstrated remarkable capabilities in analyzing facial features to predict biological age and survival outcomes for cancer patients. This development marks a significant advancement in AI-driven healthcare, with researchers conducting extensive testing on approximately 6,000 cancer patients from two centers using photographs taken at the start of radiotherapy treatment [1].

Clinical Implications and Early Findings

The research has revealed striking correlations between predicted biological age and patient outcomes. Studies show that cancer patients typically appear approximately five years older than their chronological age [2][3]. According to Hugo Aerts, PhD, director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) program at Mass General Brigham, ‘This work demonstrates that a photo like a simple selfie contains important information that could help to inform clinical decision-making and care plans for patients and clinicians’ [4].

Future Applications and Clinical Trials

While the technology shows promise, researchers maintain a measured approach to implementation. The tool is currently in the early stages of clinical trials [1]. William Mair, Professor of Molecular Metabolism at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, notes that face-based aging tools have ‘extraordinary potential’ to help doctors quickly and inexpensively estimate patient health status [3]. This development aligns with Mass General Brigham’s broader initiative to integrate AI and digital health technologies across their healthcare system [5].

Integration with Existing Healthcare Systems

As part of Mass General Brigham’s comprehensive approach to healthcare innovation, this AI development complements their existing integrated academic healthcare system, which encompasses academic medical centers, community hospitals, and specialty facilities [6]. The implementation of FaceAge represents a significant step forward in their mission to advance patient care through innovative research and education [alert! ‘specific timeline for full implementation not yet announced’].

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