Nicosia, Cyprus. A Cyprus-based research and innovation team developing the AI-powered oncology software platform Prognostic has outlined its progress, goals and challenges in an exclusive interview with the Cyprus Mail.
Project leadership and support
Supported by non-profit organisation Cyprus Seeds, the project is led by Dr Chrysovalantis Voutouri, founder, CEO and lead researcher, working alongside professor Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos, head of the Cancer Biophysics Laboratory at the University of Cyprus, and AI specialist Kyprianos Dimou.
Technology and intended clinical use
The team combines expertise in cancer biophysics, medical imaging, Shear Wave Elastography, artificial intelligence, machine learning and translational oncology, supported by experience in preclinical research, clinical research, software development and commercialisation.
Prognostic is described as an AI-based platform that analyses tumour stiffness from ultrasound imaging to predict how cancer patients will respond to treatment. The system is designed to provide early, non-invasive insights to help clinicians select the most effective therapy earlier in the treatment pathway.
By identifying ineffective therapies sooner, the tool aims to support personalised cancer care, reduce unnecessary side effects and improve patient outcomes.
Recent milestones and testing partners
The team highlighted three major milestones achieved over the past 6 to 12 months, beginning with the development and validation of an AI model using Shear Wave Elastography data.
The model focuses on predicting treatment response in breast and pancreatic cancer preclinical models. The second milestone involved pilot testing on preclinical and early clinical imaging datasets, carried out in collaboration with Cypriot clinical partners.
These include the German Oncology Center and the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre, with results showing strong and consistent predictive performance.
What do you think could be the main barrier to using an ultrasound-based AI tool like Prognostic in routine cancer care?