Cancer Research: MyPath – Putting Patients at the Centre of Care
«Together we can achieve something truly groundbreaking»
Living with Cancer
Cancer is more than just a diagnosis. It is a life-altering experience that affects the whole person. However, traditional cancer treatment has primarily focused on combating the disease itself. Many patients experience that anxiety, fear of recurrence, and practical challenges related to the illness are not always addressed by the healthcare system. MyPath aims to change this by integrating the patient’s own experiences into the healthcare process.
MyPath – A Digital Platform for Better Patient Support
MyPath is a new digital solution designed to enhance follow-up care for cancer patients, both in Norway and across Europe. Through digital patient reporting and personalized care plans, patients are given a more active role in their treatment journey. By recording symptoms and challenges in real-time, healthcare professionals gain a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the patient’s situation, making it easier to adjust treatment along the way. If the reporting indicates a need for faster assessment, it can trigger additional follow-up and treatment.
The goal is to improve quality of life, provide more effective relief from symptoms, strengthen communication between patients and healthcare professionals, and enable a cancer care model that is more patient-centered. The MyPath project spans five years and is led by Professor Stein Kaasa at Oslo University Hospital, in close collaboration with Professor Marie Fallon at the University of Edinburgh. Together with 15 partners from across Europe, they are working to develop and implement MyPath into routine cancer care.
«It is a privilege to lead this ambitious project, supported by the EU, the Research Council of Norway, and the Norwegian Cancer Society. More than 100 clinicians, researchers, and IT professionals are working to streamline and improve cancer care. Close collaboration with industry partners, including the digital health company DNV Imatis, is essential for success. Together, we can achieve something truly groundbreaking for the benefit of our patients.»
Patient Experiences at the Core
MyPath will be integrated into routine cancer care at nine leading cancer centres across Europe and four hospitals in Norway. Developed by DNV Imatis, the platform is supported by European industry partners, researchers, and patient organisations.
Researchers have conducted interviews with cancer patients, their families, and bereaved relatives in a collaborative effort between patient organisations and hospitals. These interviews have provided valuable feedback on the challenges of cancer care and how a digital solution can help. Healthcare professionals across the participating European hospitals have also contributed key insights into how MyPath can improve workflow and patient follow-up. This effort ensures that the platform meets the diverse needs of cancer patients across different healthcare systems.
Promising Early Results
An initial version of MyPath has been tested at hospitals in Norway and Europe, receiving highly positive feedback. Patients find the platform user-friendly and believe it helps them navigate the healthcare system with greater confidence. Many also feel it could raise often-overlooked topics, such as changes in identity, sexuality, and emotional well-being. Healthcare professionals also see MyPath as a valuable tool for providing more structured, holistic care.
The Road Ahead
MyPath is set to be implemented for patients and clinicians from spring 2025. Throughout the rollout, researchers will continuously evaluate and refine the platform to ensure it meets the needs of patients, families, and healthcare professionals across Europe. The goal is clear: to give cancer patients greater control over their own care and contribute to a more comprehensive, patient-centred approach to cancer treatment.
The project is also co-led by the University of Edinburgh, represented by Professor Marie Fallon. She highlights the importance of shared learning and a systematic approach to implementation across participating sites:
«We are delighted by the steadfast determination within our consortium to learn from other implementation studies. We are approaching MyPath with a systematic approach, using iterative improvements informed by shared learning across all aspects of the project. This will hopefully enhance the chances of successful implementation.»