South African University brings AI into cancer care planning

The University of the Free State and Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein are applying artificial intelligence to radiotherapy planning, aiming to expand timely access to treatment for cancer patients.

The University of the Free State (UFS), a public research university in South Africa, and Universitas Academic Hospital have introduced the Radiation Planning Assistant (RPA), an artificial intelligence–based platform developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the United States.

The system is designed to support clinicians in preparing radiotherapy treatment plans, one of the most resource-intensive steps in cancer care.

The platform uses CT scans as input and applies machine learning to automatically outline tumors and surrounding healthy tissues, before generating a full treatment plan that can be reviewed and refined by medical teams. By automating these processes, the system helps standardize protocols, reduce delays, and ease the workload of specialized staff.

First deployed for cervical cancer, the most common diagnosis among radiotherapy patients at Universitas, the RPA has since been extended to other cancers including breast, head and neck, and primary brain tumors. Nearly 50 patients have already been treated in Bloemfontein using plans supported by the technology.

The initiative is part of a collaboration between UFS, Universitas Hospital, and MD Anderson, and has received support from the Nuclear Technologies in Medicine and the Biosciences Initiative, managed by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. Building on the initial results, the system is now being rolled out to additional centers in South Africa, with international expansion expected.