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Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 42842547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0001675

Digital solutions for tackling mental health in cancer patients and their families: The ALTHEA project.

PLOS Digit Health 5(10):e0001675

Authors: Ilaria Durosini, Dario Monzani, Veronica Coppini, Maria Vittoria Ferrari, Chiara Bovolenta, Asia Grigis, Giuseppe Curigliano, Paola Zagami, Elisabetta Munzone, Ida Minchella, Francesca Magnoni, Fedro Alessandro Peccatori, Isabelle Scholl, Marcel Meyerheim, Mieke Van Hemelrijck, Hannah Gsell, Lucija Gosak, Laura Ciria-Suarez, Karl Làvo, Norbert Graf, Marta Pérez-Campdepadrós, Marie Lange, Elisabeth Andritsch, Birute Brasiuniene, Andreas Charalambous, Nataliia Dovganych, Iva Kirac, Haridimos Kondylakis, Kostyantyn Kovalyov, Cristian Ochoa-Arnedo, Manolis Tsiknakis, Béata Juzyna, Ines Vaz-Luis, Philip E V Van Kerrebroeck, Nicole Erickson, Margarita Tareyn, Norbert Couespel, Clémentine Rialland, Luigi Grassi, Denis Horgan, Saska Benedicic Tomat, Begonya Nafria Escalera, Delia Nicoara, Claudio Lombardo, Gabriella Pravettoni

Affiliations

  • Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
  • Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
  • Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
  • Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
  • Division of Medical Senology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
  • Division of Breast Surgery, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
  • Gynecologic Oncology Department, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
  • Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
  • Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
  • European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, EORTC, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Translational Oncology and Urology Research, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
  • Childhood Cancer International Europe, Vienna, Austria.
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia.
  • ICOnnecta't Digital Health Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain.
  • The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Psychooncology and Digital Health Group, Hospitalet del Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Global Alliance for Mental Illness Advocacy Networks, GAMIAN-Europe, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Pediatric Cancer Centre, Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Servei de Salut Mental, Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Clinical Research Department, UNICANCER, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France.
  • Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Services Unit PLATON, Cancer and Cognition Platform, Université de Caen Normandie, ANTICIPE U1086 INSERM-UCN, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France.
  • Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
  • Division of Clinical Oncology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Division of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Graz, Austria.
  • National Cancer Center of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania.
  • Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
  • Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
  • Department of Nursing, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
  • Clinical Pharmacology & Cardio-Oncology Department, NSC "The M.D.Strazhesko Institute of Cardiology", Kyiv, Ukraine.
  • Cardio-Oncology Center, Kyiv, Ukraine.
  • Institute for Gastroenterological Tumours (IGET), Zagreb, Croatia.
  • Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital for Tumors, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.
  • Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Computer Science, Heraklion, Greece.
  • Computer Science Department, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
  • Blahodiyna Orhanizatsiya Blahodiynyy Fond Svit Proty Raku (WAC), Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
  • Charitable organization "Charitable Fund "World Against Cancer", Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
  • Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Heraklion, Greece.
  • Department of Research & Development, Unicancer, Paris, France.
  • Cancer Survivorship Group, INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy FR Department for the Organization of Patient Pathways, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
  • Policy Office, European Association of Urology, Arnhem, Netherlands.
  • Urology Department, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands.
  • The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, ESPEN, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
  • Association of Cancer Patients (APOZ), Sofia, Bulgaria.
  • European Cancer Organisation, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
  • European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, Brussels, Belgium.
  • International Sport and Culture Association, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Research Department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Department of Quality Management, "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta" Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
  • Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, Brussels, Belgium.

Abstract

Despite advances in cancer treatment, the growing global cancer burden underscores the need for comprehensive and supportive care to address the needs of patients and their families. However, access to psycho-oncological support remains often limited across healthcare systems. This could be related to factors such as resource constraints and insufficient integration of psychological care into routine oncological pathways. Individual-level barriers also exist, including low awareness of available services, stigma, and heterogeneity in patients' perceived needs and help-seeking attitudes. Nevertheless, psychological burden can significantly influence patients' experience of the treatment pathway, influencing cognitive clarity, perceived self-efficacy, communication, risk perception, decision-making, and all areas of daily life. In this context, digital mental health solutions have emerged as promising tools to enhance accessibility, continuity of care, and personalisation of support. In this manuscript, we aim to describe the structure of the ALTHEA project ("tAckling menTal Health cancer patients and their families: digital solutions for bEtter cAre"), which focuses on the development of a novel web-based digital platform targeting cancer patients and their informal caregivers' mental health across different stages of the care pathway. ALTHEA is distinguished by the presence of screening, classification into different support profiles, and tailored interventions within a single platform, as well as by its co-creation approach involving patients and stakeholders. In this line, the ALTHEA project represents a timely opportunity to integrate digital health solutions into psycho-oncology care, improving mental health outcomes, enhancing patient empowerment, and promoting a more holistic approach to cancer care.

MeSH

Neoplasms, Solutions, Therapeutics, Mental Health