AI Enters the Medical World, Making Cancer Detection Faster

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is now being implemented in cancer diagnostics in Indonesia. This technology is used as a first reader in the screening and analysis of breast and lung cancer, but doctors emphasize that AI will not replace medical personnel.

“AI will not replace doctors. But doctors who don’t use AI may be outcompeted by those who do,” said Dr. Jeffry Beta Tenggara, a specialist in internal medicine, subspecialist in hematology-oncology, during a discussion titled “World Cancer Day: Transforming Cancer Screening and Diagnosis with AI” by AstraZeneca and Siloam Hospital in Jakarta, Wednesday (February 25, 2026).

Dr. Jeffry said that according to GLOBOCAN data, there were approximately 65,000 new cases of breast cancer and more than 22,000 deaths in 2020. Some breast cancer cases are related to the expression of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2), which is a protein that can promote the growth of cancer cells more aggressively.

“Through the implementation of AI technology as an assistant to medical personnel, the process of identifying the type of breast cancer can be done faster and more accurately, and this is expected to support better and more timely therapeutic decision-making in clinical practice,” explained Dr. Jeffrey.

Currently, the national cancer burden continues to increase, with approximately 400,000 new cases detected each year and the number of deaths reaching 240,000 cases. According to data from the Ministry of Health, the number of cancer cases in Indonesia is projected to increase by more than 70% in 2050 if early detection is not strengthened.

Meanwhile, for lung cancer, the problem is not only the number of cases, but also the delay in diagnosis. About 90% of patients come in at an advanced stage. In fact, according to Dr. Sita Laksmi Andarini, a pulmonologist and subspecialist in thoracic oncology, the progression of lung cancer from early to advanced stages can occur in as little as 1 to 1.5 years.

“This means that a delay of only one year can drastically change the chances of therapy, and the difference in stage also has a direct impact on costs,” she said.

Treatment for advanced-stage cancer can cost four to five times more than early-stage cancer. Therefore, accelerating screening and diagnosis is crucial, not only to improve survival rates but also to reduce healthcare costs.

AI’s Role

This is where AI plays a role. In breast cancer, AI helps assess HER2 status, including the HER2-low and HER2-ultra low categories, which have very narrow boundaries. A study presented at ASCO 2025 showed that the use of AI can increase the detection of HER2-ultra low by up to 40% and improve the accuracy of the assessment to nearly 92%.

Meanwhile, for lung cancer, AI is used in reading chest X-rays to identify suspicious lung nodules. This system helps radiologists prioritize abnormal cases.

“In fact, the use of AI has been reported to reduce the time to complete reports by about 40%, making the workflow more efficient,” said Dr. Dewi Tantra Hardiyanto, a radiologist.

She emphasized that AI only acts as a first reader, marking areas of risk before clinical verification. Doctors still consider the patient’s condition as a whole, including their medical history and risk factors.

Dr. Patricia Diana Prasetyo, a pathologist, said that in the context of Indonesia, which has a limited number of pathologists and geographical challenges as an archipelago, the integration of AI allows examination results to be shared digitally across healthcare facilities. Case consultations can be done remotely without having to move physical samples, reducing time and distance.

Regarding implementation in the field, AstraZeneca Indonesia, together with Siloam International Hospitals, has integrated an AI-based system to help detect various lung abnormalities. This technology is equipped with a validated assessment system that can distinguish between high-risk nodules that may be cancerous and low-risk nodules.

This collaboration is said to be part of an effort to strengthen the national cancer care ecosystem through the use of digital technology. The focus is not just on providing new tools, but also on improving the accuracy of diagnosis and accelerating early detection amid the increasing number of cancer cases.

Medical Director of AstraZeneca Indonesia, Feddy, said that the increasing cancer burden requires a more integrated approach. According to him, the use of AI is a strategic step to help medical personnel accelerate the diagnostic process, improve the accuracy of clinical interpretation, and strengthen data-driven decision-making.

President Director of Siloam, David Utama, reiterated that this technology is not intended to replace doctors. “AI is a companion that enriches clinical decision-making. We want to develop a service model that can be replicated nationally, so that people can access international standard cancer care without having to go abroad,” he said.

Similarly, President Director of AstraZeneca Indonesia, Esra Erkomay, said that this collaboration is part of a commitment to providing science-based innovations that have a real impact on patients. He hopes that the integration of AI can strengthen early screening, improve the quality of therapy, and support the transformation of the national cancer care system to be more effective and sustainable.