Researchers are studying how the use of artificial intelligence (AI) could help more effectively diagnose and treat mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer caused by asbestos.
Right now, mesothelioma is hard to diagnose since it’s so rare, with just over 3,000 cases diagnosed yearly. And, due to vague and subtle symptoms, many patients are only diagnosed in a later stage, when the cancer is hard to treat.
However, several recent breakthroughs show that AI has the potential to help detect mesothelioma sooner, lower the rates of misdiagnosis, and even help develop new treatment plans to better help patients.
Confirming Mesothelioma Using AI Cancer Diagnosis Options
Various AI tools are being developed to assist doctors in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Notably, several AI models are working to help specialists interpret mesothelioma imaging scans with more accuracy.
For instance, at the 2025 International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma, mesothelioma specialist Dr. Kevin Blyth presented a seminar on the use of AI to improve the accuracy of mesothelioma imaging scans.
In 40% of CT scans, doctors fail to see mesothelioma tumors, according to Dr. Blyth. However, during a later test called a thoracoscopy, those patients were actually found to have cancer.
“The individual human that reads your scan affects the result, basically,” explained Dr. Blyth.
He then presented studies on the use of machine-learning AI programs that combine CT scans with patients’ unique traits, including their age, sex, and symptoms, with the ultimate goal of improving diagnostic accuracy.
Ongoing research is also examining the use of AI to help diagnose mesothelioma. For example, a Cornell University study found that trained AI models can help analyze mesothelioma biopsies, which are samples of tissue or fluid collected to confirm a diagnosis.
The model is trained to check for specific mesothelioma cell types, which can greatly impact a patient’s treatment plan, and to help predict patient life expectancies.
AI Cancer Treatment Plans for Mesothelioma
Besides helping to confirm aspects of a diagnosis, models testing AI in cancer treatment are increasingly being studied. The hope is AI will help determine which mesothelioma treatment options could work best for specific patients.
For example, research by the Leicester Mesothelioma Research Programme used AI to analyze the DNA sequence of mesothelioma tumors. Doctors can then predict how aggressive tumors will be on a patient-to-patient basis, allowing them to better determine which treatments will work in each case.
“Using AI to interrogate genomic ‘big data,’ this initial work shows us that mesotheliomas follow ordered paths of mutations during development, and that these so-called trajectories predict not only how long a patient may survive, but also how to better treat the cancer.”
– Dr. Dean Fennell, Director of the Leicester Mesothelioma Research Programme
Additionally, researchers at Ege University Hospital in Turkey are studying the use of some of the most popular AI models, including ChatGPT and Gemini, to develop radiation treatment plans for pleural mesothelioma.
Their 2025 report noted that ChatGPT scored the highest of the models when informing decisions on the timing and doses of radiation.
AI in Cancer Research & Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
Researchers are using cancer AI to review existing mesothelioma treatments, help develop new methods, and test them in clinical trials. In certain situations, generative AI creates cancer treatments by rapidly analyzing molecules to predict how they could interfere with cancer growth.
One example is ISM6331, which was developed by Insilico Medicine using a generative cancer medicine model called Chemistry 42. This AI-developed cancer treatment works by blocking a protein called TEAD, which mesothelioma cells use to grow and spread via the Hippo signaling pathway.
“By inhibiting TEAD, ISM6331 has the potential to suppress tumor growth and progression, providing a targeted therapeutic strategy for malignancies driven by alterations in the Hippo pathway.”
– Dr. Feng Ren, Insilico Medicine Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer
ISM6331 has received orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat mesothelioma. It’s currently being studied in a phase 1 clinical trial to help evaluate safety and appropriate dosing. Results are expected in 2026.
AI Asbestos Testing: Can AI Identify Asbestos?
The only proven cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos fibers. Researchers are using AI to help find asbestos fibers within the bodies of cancer patients, as well as in the environment.
An AI-powered model has been developed to distinguish asbestos bodies (ABs), which are fibers coated with proteins after being embedded in the body for so long, through lung tissue samples, according to Acta Cytologica.
The use of this asbestos AI detection model showed encouraging results, with 93% sensitivity in detecting asbestos bodies. Breakthroughs like these could have significant effects on proving asbestos exposure moving forward.
In addition, The Journal of Hazardous Materials reported on an AI-powered image recognition system that, when paired with a smartphone-compatible microscope, could better help detect asbestos-containing materials.
Researchers found that asbestos fibers were correctly identified in 9 out of 10 cases. This can help prevent potential exposure from occurring and prevent future cases of mesothelioma.
AI Lung Cancer Detection, Screening, & Treatments
AI is being studied for use in treating other types of cancers and asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer. Various AI tools, studies, and programs could help more effectively diagnose lung cancer and better tailor treatments to each patient’s unique needs.
An AI-powered lung cancer detection tool correctly diagnosed more tumors than human researchers reviewing CT scans, according to the journal Healthcare.
“Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) models offer the potential to detect and classify pulmonary nodules without a loss in diagnostic performance,” the study authors noted.
Doctors are also using AI for detecting lung cancer through screenings, tests that allow doctors to spot tumors before symptoms potentially start, according to BJR Open. The report noted that the AI models were performing diagnostic tasks at levels similar to those of humans.
As models improve, it’s possible that AI-assisted decision-making for lung cancer diagnostic and treatment plans could become more common. However, lung cancer care costs remain high for many families.
At Sokolove Law, we may be able to help recover lung cancer compensation for those impacted by a diagnosis.
Can AI Cure Cancers Like Mesothelioma?
While AI is continuing to improve the way we diagnose and treat cancers like mesothelioma, it is unlikely to offer a cure anytime soon. Still, the use of AI is helping to better diagnose mesothelioma and develop new treatments, which shows promise in helping to improve long-term outcomes for those with this rare cancer.
Cancer is a group of many different diseases, and factors unique to each specific cancer diagnosis greatly impact which treatments will be most effective, according to the Mayo Clinic. Because of this, a universal cure for even one type of cancer will be hard to develop.
“It turns out that each type of cancer has to be broken down into multiple groups. And with each of those small subgroups, we have a specific target that appears to be most relevant for the originating cancer type."
– Dr. Bekaii-Saab, Mayo Clinic Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease Group Chair
AI industry leaders continue to tout that machine learning models could cure cancer in the near future, but the reality is that this technology is still in its early stages, as noted by the Atlantic. Long-term testing through clinical trials must be done to ensure the safety of any proposed treatments, let alone cures.
With AI also being used to better detect asbestos-containing materials, it's possible that we can put an end to exposure and prevent future cases of mesothelioma, which is caused by asbestos exposure.
Sokolove Law: Supporting Mesothelioma Patients and Families Nationwide
Even as new AI advancements show early signs of new diagnostic and treatment options on the horizon, mesothelioma remains an overwhelming challenge for many families. Not only is this cancer aggressive, it’s also financially straining, with costs often exceeding over $400,000 yearly.
As a national mesothelioma law firm, Sokolove Law has fought for families impacted by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases since 1979, recovered more than $5.3 Billion on behalf of patients and loved ones affected by this cancer.
Our mesothelioma lawyers can pursue compensation to cover diagnosis and treatment costs, and help your family get a sense of justice.
Get a free case review now to learn about your legal options following a mesothelioma diagnosis and how we may be able to assist your family.
