Front Row Seat: We'll Never Cure Cancer Without AI, Say Steve Brown & Lisa Booth
Live from Stage 4 | Episode #021 | 03/24/2026 | Front Row Seat
Listen to full episode :
Guests
Steve Brown
The Founder and CEO of CureWise, an AI-powered platform designed to help patients navigate cancer diagnosis and treatment. A Stanford-educated physicist and computer scientist, he launched the company following his own experience with a rare and aggressive blood cancer that went undiagnosed by specialists for nearly a year.
Professional Background
Digital Health Pioneer: Before CureWise, Brown co-founded Health Hero in the late 1990s, a pioneer in remote patient monitoring that was later sold to Bosch.
Healthcare Reform: His early work influenced language in the 2003 healthcare reform act regarding chronic care and remote monitoring.
Lisa Booth
A patient advocate living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) based in Seattle, Washington. She is widely recognized for her use of innovative medical technology and her participation in clinical trials to manage her condition.
Medical History
Diagnosis: Diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer roughly a decade ago.
Treatment: Her treatment has included chemotherapy, a mastectomy, radiation, and liver ablation to eliminate tumors.
Clinical Trials: To treat her MBC, she has traveled across the country, participating in oncology clinical trials at institutions such as Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego and facilities in New York.
Advocacy and Innovation
AI in Healthcare: Booth was one of the first patients in the U.S. to use CureWise, an artificial intelligence application. The tool analyzes personal medical records and genomics data to identify specific clinical trials and treatment scenarios.
Public Speaking: She shares her story to provide hope to other patients and to emphasize the importance of patient-led research and clinical trial access.
Quick Summary
When Steve Brown was diagnosed with rare blood cancer in an emergency room, it was already too late—his doctors had missed critical warning signs for months. As a tech veteran, Steve did something unconventional: he fed his medical records into an AI system he'd been developing. Within moments, the AI identified exactly what his physicians had overlooked.
That moment changed everything—not just for Steve, but potentially for cancer care itself.
In this groundbreaking episode, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and cancer treatment with two patients who are living proof that knowledge is power. Steve Brown, now CEO of CureWise, and Lisa Booth, an 11-year metastatic breast cancer survivor, share how AI agents are helping them navigate complex treatment decisions, find clinical trials, appeal insurance denials, and advocate effectively with their oncologists.
What We Cover:
The Diagnosis Gap: How Steve's AI immediately caught what multiple experienced doctors missed—and what that means for the future of medicine
Off-Label Treatments: Why the best treatment for your specific cancer might not be "approved" for your diagnosis, and how to fight for coverage
Multi-Agent AI Systems: Understanding how training different AI models as specialist doctors (oncologist, radiologist, surgeon) creates a virtual tumor board for your case
Clinical Trial Navigation: Lisa's journey through seven lines of therapy and how AI helped her identify and qualify for trials that extended her life
The Insurance Battle: Practical strategies for using AI-generated evidence to win appeals and access cutting-edge treatments
Patient Empowerment: How to prepare for seven-minute oncology appointments, rehearse difficult conversations, and ask questions you didn't know existed
The Legal & Ethical Questions: HIPAA compliance, AI hallucinations, data privacy, and the difference between AI education and medical advice
Key Takeaway:
This isn't about replacing doctors—it's about becoming an informed partner in your own care. Steve and Lisa demonstrate that when patients show up educated, prepared, and armed with comprehensive research, better outcomes follow. As Steve puts it: "The only stupid question is the one you're afraid to ask."
Whether you're navigating a new diagnosis, feeling overwhelmed by treatment options, or wondering if there's something better out there your doctor hasn't mentioned—this conversation offers hope, practical tools, and a glimpse into the future of patient advocacy.
Featured Guests:
Steve Brown – CEO of CureWise, rare blood cancer patient
Lisa Booth – 11-year metastatic breast cancer survivor, clinical trial advocate
Panel:
Victoria Goldberg (Host)
Linda Weatherby (Co-host)
Dr. Jill Tirabassi (Physician & Patient Perspective)
Abigail Johnston (Legal Expert)
Learn more about CureWise at https://curewise.com/
The CureWise Origin Story
The Diagnostic Gap: After months of weight loss and fatigue, Brown’s symptoms were dismissed by physicians as "stress" or "gas".
The AI Breakthrough: Using his background in tech, Brown built an "AI swarm"—multiple agents with different perspectives—to analyze his medical records. Within minutes, the AI flagged signs of plasma cell dyscrasias, which led to a life-saving bone marrow biopsy.
Mission: He founded CureWise to ensure other patients have access to the same "precision medicine" and autonomous AI agents to review records and identify treatment options that clinicians might mis
