AI Tool’s Photo-Based Aging Rate Predicts Cancer Survival

Overview

• A Nature Communications study of 2,279 radiotherapy patients found that a faster Face Aging Rate from two photos linked to lower survival.
• The link strengthened as gaps grew, with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.25 for 10–365 days and 1.65 for 731–1,460 days, and the 366–730 day range was not significant.
• FAR equals the change in FaceAge divided by time, with values above one signaling faster aging, and median facial aging outpaced the clock by about 40%.
• Patients with both high FaceAge Deviation at a single visit and high FAR faced poorer survival, and FAR gave steadier signals over longer intervals.
• The team opened an IRB-approved portal at faceage.bwh.harvard.edu for public photo submissions, with broader, prospective validation and privacy safeguards still needed before clinic use.