Cancer patients who interact with an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar doctor before meeting a real consultant feel more knowledgeable and less stressed. According to a study presented at the European Society of Radiation Therapy Oncology Congress (ESTRO 2026).
The study was presented by Dr. Adam Leben, chief of radiation oncology at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Christiana Care Research Institute in Newark, Delaware, USA.
“We know that patient understanding of cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy, is essential to ensuring informed consent. It also improves patient satisfaction and makes them more likely to continue and complete treatment,” he said. Despite our best efforts, patients often arrive at the appointment feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and unable to understand and remember complex information, especially in radiation oncology, where treatment concepts can be technically complex.”
“We wanted to investigate whether meeting an AI avatar that looks and sounds like a doctor before a main consultation could help patients feel more prepared to actually see their doctor, help them make better decisions about their treatment, and reduce stress.”
The team worked with a digital technology company to create an AI avatar of a doctor designed to help patients understand their radiation treatment options before meeting a real doctor.
They recruited 1,464 patients. One group, 506 (34.6%), watched an educational video, and the remaining 958 (65.4%) watched an avatar-based video that used personalized scripts and illustrations to explain concepts. All patients then completed a multiple-choice quiz with teach-back to ensure they understood and remembered the content, followed by a standardized satisfaction survey.
Patients who watched personalized AI avatar videos showed greater understanding of treatment plans, increased ability to be involved in medical decisions, and reduced stress compared to patients who watched standard educational videos. Hospital satisfaction scores also improved dramatically.
We found that patients were highly engaged with digital educational materials before their first visit to the radiation oncology department. Satisfaction and understanding scores were high overall, but those who watched the AI avatar-based videos had particularly high scores. All patients completed the quiz, indicating that they were actively engaged with the material and not just watching. ”
Dr. Adam Leben, Chief of Radiation Oncology, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Christiana Care Research Institute, Newark, Delaware, USA
The team now plans to expand the use of avatars throughout the treatment process, evaluating their impact on anxiety, patient confidence in decision-making, and how consultations can be carried out most efficiently.
Professor Matthias Guckenberger, Chairman of ESTRO at Switzerland’s University Hospital Zurich, who was not involved in the research, said: “AI is already being used to plan and deliver radiation treatments, reducing the burden on healthcare systems, and we know that patients are already using AI to ask questions about their condition and treatment.”
“Dr. Leben’s work is one of the early implementations of AI avatar-based patient education being tested in the clinic, rather than in a simulated or academic-only environment.
“For cancer patients, this study suggests that engaging with an AI doctor allows patients to see a real doctor, reducing anxiety and allowing them to ask informed questions. This should mean doctor-patient meetings are more productive and focus more on the patient’s individual concerns and decision-making. This study also suggests that patients feel happier overall with the care they are receiving.”
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European Society of Radiation Therapy Oncology (ESTRO)
