AstraZeneca and health-tech company Qure.ai have achieved a significant milestone in their global lung cancer detection initiative, completing 5 million artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled chest X-rays across more than 20 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The collaboration has identified nearly 50,000 individuals with high-risk lung nodules who have been referred for further testing and potential diagnosis.
This achievement marks a major advancement in AstraZeneca's commitment to the World Economic Forum's EDISON Alliance 1 Billion Lives Challenge, which aims to improve 1 billion lives through digital access to healthcare, education, and financial services.
AI Technology Transforming Lung Cancer Detection
The partnership utilizes Qure.ai's qXR software, which has been trained on more than 2 million X-rays and their corresponding radiology reports. Using deep-learning algorithms, the technology interprets chest X-ray images, classifies them as remarkable or unremarkable, detects up to 29 abnormalities, and highlights areas of concern for radiologist review.
A study conducted by Qure.ai demonstrated a 17% improvement in sensitivity when using AI to interpret chest X-rays compared to traditional radiologist readings alone. This improvement is particularly valuable given that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with approximately 35,000 people dying from the disease annually in the UK alone.
"Reaching this milestone underscores our commitment to early detection—the first step toward improved patient outcomes," said Ti Hwei How, Vice President, International Oncology at AstraZeneca. "Our work with Qure.ai validates AI-enabled chest X-rays as a cost-effective triaging tool. Success in countries like Colombia, El Salvador, and India shows the model can scale."
Expanding to the UK with Greater Manchester Pilot
Building on their global success, AstraZeneca has recently launched a pilot program in the UK's Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, where lung cancer rates are among the highest in the country. The six-month pilot aims to scan and review more than 250,000 chest X-ray images to evaluate whether Qure.ai's qXR software can accelerate and improve the accuracy of lung cancer diagnoses.
The Greater Manchester initiative focuses on early diagnosis, which is crucial for improving cancer outcomes. By detecting lung cancer at its earliest stages, treatment can begin sooner, potentially improving both patients' quality of life and survival rates.
Addressing Global Health Inequities
The AI solution has proven particularly valuable in resource-limited healthcare settings. While lung cancer mortality rates are declining in high-income countries, they continue to rise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The AI-enabled chest X-ray approach offers a scalable, cost-effective solution for these regions.
"This partnership illustrates the EDISON Alliance's mission to address healthcare challenges through digital innovation," said Cindy Hoots, Chief Digital Officer and CIO at AstraZeneca. "It shows how collaboration can accelerate delivery of life-saving technologies in underserved regions."
Prashant Warier, CEO and Founder of Qure.ai, added: "Five million scans globally is a significant achievement. Our partnership with AstraZeneca has enabled early adoption and scalability of our AI solutions, helping integrate them into national health systems and deliver timely diagnoses to more patients."
Growing Evidence Base for AI in Cancer Screening
The 5 million scan milestone contributes to growing evidence supporting AI-enabled chest X-ray triaging in resource-stratified screening strategies. At the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2025, data showed that qXR could detect high-risk lung nodules in 54.1% of cases and is cost-effective, based on modeling in Vietnam's healthcare system.
AstraZeneca, which ranks among the top pharmaceutical companies for digital health investments, sees its role in these partnerships as providing a bridge between healthcare systems and technology companies like Qure.ai. The company believes that by facilitating access to technologies that enable faster diagnoses, they are helping lung cancer patients receive appropriate treatment earlier in their care journey.
The collaboration between AstraZeneca and Qure.ai began in 2022 through the pharma group's Emerging Markets Health Innovation Hubs program and has since expanded to become part of AstraZeneca's A.Catalyst Network—its global innovation platform designed to accelerate real-world healthcare solutions.
Potential for Routine AI Screening
A significant challenge in lung cancer treatment is that the disease is frequently diagnosed at a late stage, often after symptoms like cough, breathlessness, or chest/shoulder pain have developed. Routine scanning of X-rays using AI technology could potentially reduce the time to diagnosis by months or years.
According to the World Health Organization, chest X-rays are the most commonly ordered diagnostic imaging test globally, with millions performed annually. By integrating AI analysis into this existing workflow, healthcare systems can potentially identify more cases of lung cancer at earlier, more treatable stages without requiring significant additional resources.
AstraZeneca is now collaborating with Ministries of Health and policymakers to prioritize AI-based screening programs, aiming to further expand the reach and impact of this technology in improving lung cancer outcomes worldwide.
