Woman Credits AI Chatbot for Detecting Cancer After Doctor Misdiagnosis
A 40-year-old woman from North Carolina and the US Virgin Islands believes that ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, saved her life by suggesting she get tested for Hashimoto’s disease, which led to the discovery of cancer.
Lauren Bannon, a marketing company owner, experienced rapid weight loss and severe stomach pains, but her doctors initially attributed these symptoms to rheumatoid arthritis and acid reflux. Desperate for answers, Bannon turned to ChatGPT, which suggested she might have Hashimoto’s disease. Despite her doctor’s initial dismissal due to lack of family history, Bannon insisted on getting tested.
The tests revealed two small lumps in her neck, which were later confirmed to be cancer. Bannon credits ChatGPT for detecting her condition early, saying, “If I hadn’t looked on ChatGPT, I would’ve just taken the rheumatoid arthritis medication and the cancer would’ve spread from my neck to everywhere else.”
Bannon expressed feeling let down by her doctors, stating, “It was almost like they were just trying to give out medication for anything to get you in and out the door.” She discovered ChatGPT’s suggestion by typing symptoms that mimicked rheumatoid arthritis, and it recommended checking thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO) levels.
Bannon’s doctor later confirmed that she was “very lucky to have caught it so early.” Bannon now encourages others to use ChatGPT for health concerns, advising caution but suggesting it as a valuable tool for further investigation.
The story highlights the potential role of AI chatbots in healthcare, particularly in cases where initial diagnoses may be incorrect or incomplete. Bannon’s experience has sparked discussions about the use of AI tools in medical diagnosis and the importance of patient advocacy.
