Artificial intelligence has taken a dramatic leap forward — a simple selfie may now help predict your chances of surviving cancer. Researchers from Mass General Brigham, a US-based non-profit, have developed FaceAge, an AI tool trained on 59,000 facial images, to estimate a person’s biological age, a crucial factor in forecasting treatment outcomes.

The study, published in Lancet Digital Health, involved 6,200 cancer patients. FaceAge analyzed their photos taken at the start of treatment, revealing that cancer patients typically had a biological age nearly five years older than their actual age. This age gap, researchers say, is a more accurate marker of overall health and survival probability than chronological age.

Dr. Hugo Aerts, the lead author, emphasized the tool’s potential: “We’ve demonstrated that a selfie can become a reliable biomarker of aging and health.” By integrating FaceAge into clinical assessments, especially in advanced cancer cases, doctors may better predict survival, complications, or recovery after critical procedures.

To illustrate FaceAge’s precision, the researchers compared actor Paul Rudd (biological age 42.6) and the late Wilford Brimley (biological age 69)—both aged 50 at the time of their respective photos.

While promising, the study calls for larger-scale validation before the tool can be widely adopted. Scientists are also exploring its potential to detect risks related to other illnesses beyond cancer.