Mumbai’s Specialty Surgical Oncology (SSO) Cancer Hospital hosted the SSO Clinician Forum: AI-led Innovation in Cancer Care, uniting clinicians and healthcare partners to explore the role of technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital tools in shaping the future of oncology.
At the event, SSO Cancer Hospital announced a strategic partnership with Qure.ai, becoming the first hospital in Mumbai to integrate Qure.ai’s AI-powered Incidental Pulmonary Nodule (IPN) detection into its oncology workflows. This diagnostic tool can identify lung nodules as small as 6mm on routine chest X-rays, ensuring earlier diagnosis, faster treatment decisions, and better coordination among radiology, pulmonology, and oncology teams.
Pulmonary nodules are small spots in the lungs, often found incidentally during chest imaging. While many are benign, some represent early-stage lung cancer. Detecting nodules at stage I significantly improves survival rates compared to later stages like III or IV. By systematically identifying and tracking these nodules, the AI solution enables patients to enter structured care pathways quickly, connecting them with thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists, and oncologists—making diagnosis and treatment faster, coordinated, and potentially life-saving.
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.”
SSO Cancer Hospital stands at the forefront of India’s cancer care, delivering advanced, organ-specific treatments that are both precise and affordable—making quality cancer care a right, not a privilege. This vision aligns with SSO’s mission to build India’s leading organ-specific oncology network, driven by innovation and compassion. By integrating AI-powered imaging and diagnostics, SSO is working to detect cancers earlier, enhance surgical decision-making, and ultimately improve survival outcomes for patients.