SSO Cancer Hospital to Launch AI-Powered Diagnostics for Cancer Care

Specialty Surgical Oncology (SSO) Cancer Hospital today hosted the SSO Clinician Forum: AI-led Innovation in Cancer Care, bringing together clinicians and healthcare partners to discuss the future of oncology. The event highlighted how technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital tools can transform cancer detection, treatment, and survivorship in India. In a pioneering step for cancer care in Mumbai, SSO Cancer Hospital today announced a strategic partnership with Qure.ai at the SSO Media and Clinician Forum: AI-led Innovation in Cancer Care. The hospital becomes the first in Mumbai to integrate Qure.ai’s AI-powered Incidental Pulmonary Nodule (IPN) detection into its oncology workflows. The tool can systematically detect nodules as small as 6mm on routine chest X-rays, enabling early diagnosis, quicker treatment decisions, and seamless coordination among radiology, pulmonology, and oncology teams.

Pulmonary nodules are small spots (growths) in the lungs that are often detected incidentally (by chance) when patients undergo chest X-rays or CT scans for unrelated reasons. Many nodules are harmless, but some can be early-stage lung cancers. Detecting and monitoring these nodules early is important, as lung cancer survival rates dramatically improve when the cancer is caught at stage I compared to later stages such as stage III or IV. Once detected, patients can be guided into a structured care treatment at the earliest by linking them with thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists, and oncologists—making diagnosis and treatment faster, and potentially life-saving.

Perspectives on the Future of Cancer Care

Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Sanket Mehta, Surgical Oncologist and founder of SSO Cancer Hospital, said: “At SSO, we have always believed that innovation must serve patients first. By bringing AI diagnostic tools into the SSO ecosystem, we are bringing world-class AI solutions into our cancer care pathways—making diagnosis faster, more accurate, and accessible. This is a critical leap forward in our journey to provide affordable and outcome-driven oncology care in India.”

Highlighting the clinical potential, Dr. Jitesh Rajpurohit, Thoracic Surgeon at SSO Cancer Hospital, added: “In cancers like lung and esophageal, where every week counts, AI can make the vital difference between early-stage treatment and curability and late-stage palliative care. Incorporating AI into diagnostics and surgical planning allows us to identify disease earlier, personalise patient treatment, and ultimately improve survival rates for our patients.”

From a patient-centred perspective, Dr. Vivek Sukumar, Surgical Oncologist, SSO Cancer Hospital, emphasised the balance between technology and empathy: “Technology is an extremely powerful tool, but it must always be utilised with compassion. By combining AI-enabled detection with our multidisciplinary, human-driven care model, we are assuring that patients not only live longer but live better. This partnership is about giving patients both hope and quality of life.”

Sagar Sen, Senior Vice President, Global Life Sciences and Strategic Alliances at Qure.ai, added, ‘This collaboration with SSO Cancer Hospital demonstrates how seamlessly AI can be integrated into routine oncology practice. By enabling the early detection of lung nodules, our technology helps clinicians connect patients across multidisciplinary care teams, ensuring that no time is lost between diagnosis and treatment. Our goal is to support partners like SSO in delivering cancer care that is accurate and fast.‘

SSO Cancer Hospital's Mission for Accessible and Compassionate Care

SSO Cancer Hospital is at the forefront of India’s fight against cancer, offering state-of-the-art, organ-specific cancer care that’s both precise and affordable, ensuring that cancer care is a right for everyone and not a privilege for a few. This initiative reflects SSO’s mission to establish India’s foremost organ-specific oncology network, guided by innovation and compassion. Through AI-enabled imaging and diagnostics, SSO aims to detect cancers earlier, guide surgical decision-making with greater accuracy, and improve survival outcomes for patients. 

Outlook

SSO Cancer Hospital's partnership with Qure.ai is a significant step forward for cancer care in Mumbai and a model for the rest of India. By integrating AI-powered diagnostics into clinical workflows, the hospital is poised to dramatically reduce the time between detection and treatment, a critical factor in improving survival rates. This initiative reflects a growing trend in healthcare to leverage technology not just for efficiency, but to enable earlier, more personalized, and ultimately more humane care, moving the country closer to a future where affordable, outcome-driven oncology is a right for all.

Explainers

• AI-Powered Diagnostics: The use of artificial intelligence to analyze medical images or data to assist in the identification and diagnosis of diseases.

• Incidental Pulmonary Nodule (IPN): A small growth or spot in the lung, often detected by chance during a chest X-ray or CT scan performed for another reason.

• Thoracic Surgeon: A medical specialist who performs operations on organs in the chest, such as the lungs and esophagus.