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CÍRCULO SALUD MAGAZINE | UNAB Researchers Advance the Use of AI for Early Detection of Oral Cancer
Two UNAB research teams are developing innovative AI-based tools to improve the early detection of oral cancer, a relatively rare disease that is highly aggressive when diagnosed at advanced stages. Their work enables more standardized diagnoses, faster clinical processes, and improved treatment options for patients.
Oral cancer is a disease with low prevalence but high aggressiveness when detected late. For this reason, advancing tools that allow for early identification is essential to improving patient survival.
In the latest issue of Círculo Salud Magazine (No. 27), two teams from Universidad Andrés Bello present pioneering projects that apply AI to transform the way oral lesions and salivary glands are analyzed.
The research, conducted at the School of Dentistry at the Viña del Mar campus, is led by Dr. René Martínez and Dr. Sven Niklander. Both teams are training AI models capable of detecting poor-prognosis markers in histological samples and reducing diagnostic uncertainty in salivary gland tumors. These initiatives have the potential to standardize diagnoses, accelerate workflows in clinical laboratories, and improve therapeutic decision-making.
Beyond their scientific contribution, these developments could directly benefit patients and health systems, particularly in settings where high demand and interobserver variability hinder early diagnosis. Access to more precise, faster, and scalable tools represents a meaningful step forward in addressing a disease whose prognosis depends critically on timely detection.
We invite you to read the full article in Círculo Salud Magazine No. 27, where you will find details on both research projects, the technological progress of the prototypes, and their potential impact in Chile and beyond. This is a strong example of how innovation at UNAB is helping improve early oral cancer detection and the quality of life for thousands of people.
