Revolutionizing Lung Cancer Care with Digital Human Avatars: Inside the LANTERN Study

Lung cancer is still one of the most serious and difficult cancers to treat. Each patient is different, and doctors need better tools to understand the best care for each individual. That’s where the LANTERN study comes in — an exciting European research project that could change the way lung cancer is treated.

Led by Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS in Rome, together with top hospitals and research centers across Europe, LANTERN is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a wide range of health data to build something called Digital Human Avatars (DHAs). These are virtual “copies” of real patients, created using information like medical history, DNA, imaging scans, and even data from wearable devices like fitness trackers.

The goal is to better understand each patient’s cancer and predict how it will behave — so treatments can be more precise, personal, and effective.

Over 600 patients with a type of lung cancer called NSCLC will take part in the study. All the data collected will be carefully organized, protected, and analyzed using smart computer systems. This helps doctors make decisions that are backed by real evidence — and that patients can understand.

LANTERN also pays close attention to privacy and ethics. Patients’ information is kept safe and confidential, and everything follows strict European privacy rules (GDPR). The study also makes sure that the AI used is transparent — so no “black box” decisions, just clear and helpful tools for doctors and patients.

But LANTERN isn’t just about better cancer care. It’s about changing healthcare for the better: helping people get the right treatment at the right time, avoiding unnecessary tests or therapies, and even helping prevent health problems before they start.

In short, LANTERN is building the future of medicine — one patient at a time.