A new study published recently in the European Journal of Oncology Nursing showed ChatGPT-4o provided more accurate, complete and empathetic answers to questions about endometrial cancer (EC) than a gynecologic oncologist, suggesting the technology could help improve patient education and support.
However, its lengthy responses may overwhelm patients without careful tailoring. In this prospective study, 100 questions about endometrial cancer were divided equally between primary care topics, such as prevention, and secondary care topics, such as treatment.
Both ChatGPT-4o and a gynecologic oncologist answered the questions, with two independent oncologists rating the responses on accuracy, empathy and completeness. ChatGPT scored significantly higher in all three areas.
“Ultimately, the integration of AI tools like ChatGPT-4o into healthcare must prioritize collaboration with health care team to ensure that accurate, empathetic, and accessible information enhances patient care without supplanting the irreplaceable human elements of trust and personalized support,” explained the authors of this study.
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ChatGPT’s mean accuracy score was 3.86 compared with the physician’s 3.36, and 91 percent of its answers were rated comprehensive and correct versus 49 percent for the physician. Empathy ratings were more than double for ChatGPT, and completeness scores were also higher.
While AI’s performance was consistent across both primary and secondary care questions, physician empathy scores were lower for prevention-focused queries than for treatment-related ones. Study authors noted this may reflect the time pressures and high patient volumes physicians face in real-world settings, where brevity and personalization are often prioritized over exhaustive detail.
One tradeoff with ChatGPT’s performance was length. Its answers averaged more than 400 words, compared with about 25 words from the physician. Readability levels were similarly high for both, meaning patients without advanced literacy may struggle to fully understand either set of answers without additional explanation.
For patients, these results could mean better access to accurate and compassionate cancer information if AI is used as a supplement to care. The researchers concluded that tools such as ChatGPT-4o could help medical professionals working in oncology to provide education and emotional support, particularly if future refinements balance the depth of information with clarity and patient-specific needs.
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