Our aims

ARCHERY is a 4-year observational study, meaning there is no change in treatment for study participants. It will judge the usefulness of artificial intelligence (AI) in planning radiotherapy. ARCHERY will focus on cervical, head and neck and prostate cancers, for which radiotherapy is the main treatment. These cancers are common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where only 10-40% of patients have access to this treatment. AI software aims to make planning treatment quicker and more consistent in these countries.

The study will recruit participants from cancer hospitals in India, Jordan, Malaysia, and South Africa. By recruiting a variety of participants, the study will better judge whether AI is suitable for use in LMICs. ARCHERY will look at whether using AI planning makes treatment more affordable as well. This software could be released as a not-for-profit web service to public sector state hospitals in LMICs.

The use of AI planning in daily practice will allow for higher quality treatment that is more affordable. This will improve cancer survival rates and quality of life for patients with cancer globally.