Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project

This article presents the results of interviews with AI development and innovation experts, focusing on the potential contribution of AI to paediatric cancer treatment, its barriers and facilitators. AI-based technologies are expanding in health care provision and potentially to paediatric oncology,...

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Main Authors: Pilar Gangas, Norbert Graf, Shuping Wen, Carlotta Cattaneo, Marilena Bicchieri, Niamh Lennox-Chhugani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:EJC Paediatric Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772610X24000680
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author Pilar Gangas
Norbert Graf
Shuping Wen
Carlotta Cattaneo
Marilena Bicchieri
Niamh Lennox-Chhugani
author_facet Pilar Gangas
Norbert Graf
Shuping Wen
Carlotta Cattaneo
Marilena Bicchieri
Niamh Lennox-Chhugani
author_sort Pilar Gangas
collection DOAJ
description This article presents the results of interviews with AI development and innovation experts, focusing on the potential contribution of AI to paediatric cancer treatment, its barriers and facilitators. AI-based technologies are expanding in health care provision and potentially to paediatric oncology, particular imageology. However, no AI based technology specifically developed for paediatric cancer has been identified. Interviews identified key barriers, including legal, regulatory and ethical challenges; validation and evaluation standards; integration with public healthcare systems; acceptance, explainability and trust of AI technologies; digital literacy and skills development; data management and privacy Protection; and promoting multidisciplinary collaboration. Facilitators largely coincide, including legal, regulatory and ethical considerations; data management and storage; building trust and ensuring privacy; engaging key stakeholders; promoting multidisciplinary collaboration through AI technologies; and education, training and innovation programmes. Barriers can be turned into facilitators if properly managed. These interviews were conducted under the EU funded project UNICA4EU (Towards a UNIque approach for artificial intelligence data-driven solutions to fight Childhood cAncer FOR EUrope)(1), which was implemented between 2022 and 2024. The goal of the overall project was to analyse the current landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and to map applications to Childhood Cancer. This work further develops and confirms the results of a previous EU-funded pilot project, A crowdsourced ecosystem to fight childhood cancer (EU4CHILD)(1).
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spelling doaj-art-8da9089baea2416eb1c3adf715a1dc8a2025-08-20T03:21:39ZengElsevierEJC Paediatric Oncology2772-610X2025-06-01510020810.1016/j.ejcped.2024.100208Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU projectPilar Gangas0Norbert Graf1Shuping Wen2Carlotta Cattaneo3Marilena Bicchieri4Niamh Lennox-Chhugani5International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), The Base B, Evert van de Beekstraat 1-104, Schiphol Airport 1118 CBL, the Netherlands; Correspondence to: The Base B, Evert van de Beekstraat 1-104, Schiphol Airport 1118 CBL, the NetherlandsSaarland University, Dep. Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Homburg 66421, GermanySaarland University, Dep. Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Homburg 66421, GermanyHUMANITAS, Via Paolo Bassi 25, Milan, ItalyHUMANITAS, Via Paolo Bassi 25, Milan, ItalyInternational Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), The Base B, Evert van de Beekstraat 1-104, Schiphol Airport 1118 CBL, the NetherlandsThis article presents the results of interviews with AI development and innovation experts, focusing on the potential contribution of AI to paediatric cancer treatment, its barriers and facilitators. AI-based technologies are expanding in health care provision and potentially to paediatric oncology, particular imageology. However, no AI based technology specifically developed for paediatric cancer has been identified. Interviews identified key barriers, including legal, regulatory and ethical challenges; validation and evaluation standards; integration with public healthcare systems; acceptance, explainability and trust of AI technologies; digital literacy and skills development; data management and privacy Protection; and promoting multidisciplinary collaboration. Facilitators largely coincide, including legal, regulatory and ethical considerations; data management and storage; building trust and ensuring privacy; engaging key stakeholders; promoting multidisciplinary collaboration through AI technologies; and education, training and innovation programmes. Barriers can be turned into facilitators if properly managed. These interviews were conducted under the EU funded project UNICA4EU (Towards a UNIque approach for artificial intelligence data-driven solutions to fight Childhood cAncer FOR EUrope)(1), which was implemented between 2022 and 2024. The goal of the overall project was to analyse the current landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and to map applications to Childhood Cancer. This work further develops and confirms the results of a previous EU-funded pilot project, A crowdsourced ecosystem to fight childhood cancer (EU4CHILD)(1).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772610X24000680Paediatric cancerArtificial intelligenceBarriersFacilitatorsInnovation roadmapInnovation experts’ interviews
spellingShingle Pilar Gangas
Norbert Graf
Shuping Wen
Carlotta Cattaneo
Marilena Bicchieri
Niamh Lennox-Chhugani
Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project
EJC Paediatric Oncology
Paediatric cancer
Artificial intelligence
Barriers
Facilitators
Innovation roadmap
Innovation experts’ interviews
title Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project
title_full Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project
title_fullStr Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project
title_full_unstemmed Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project
title_short Artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer: Insights from innovation experts in the UNICA4EU project
title_sort artificial intelligence in paediatric cancer insights from innovation experts in the unica4eu project
topic Paediatric cancer
Artificial intelligence
Barriers
Facilitators
Innovation roadmap
Innovation experts’ interviews
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772610X24000680
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