Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWMPancreatic cancer is a common cancer with a very low survival rate and serious comorbidities such as pain and emaciation. Lifestyle interventions in parallel with treatment – such as nutritional programs, physical activity or pain management – can maintain and improve the quality of life of patients. This requires intensive monitoring of individuals and use of the data collected for targeted planning of appropriate intervention measures.
Symbolbild: Bauchspeicheldrüse, Pankreas.
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Lifestyle Optimization for Pancreatic Cancer
Projekt RELEVIUM: AI-based Empowerment of Patients in Palliative Care
AI-Based Monitoring and Intervention Planning
In the RELEVIUM project, an interdisciplinary project consortium is working on digital solutions for independent self-management, improved communication with the doctor and targeted intervention planning for patients with pancreatic cancer. To this end, smartwatches equipped with the required sensors and suitably designed mobile applications are being developed, as well as a web platform equipped with appropriate artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. The healing potential associated with these components will be investigated in a multicenter clinical trial. The digital solutions from RELEVIUM are intended to enable cancer patients to achieve the maximum achievable quality of life.
Causal Medical Models and Explainable Artificial Intelligence
The various data on heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, pain sensation, etc. collected with sensors and app are used as initial data for both model development and intervention planning. From these data, we use data analysis to derive causal models for predicting disease progression and the improvements that can be achieved with lifestyle changes.
For the planning of interventions for patients, currently recorded health data are first analyzed based on these models using methods of »Explainable Artificial Intelligence«. Based on the results obtained, health professionals plan individual lifestyle interventions using a decision support system. Special attention is paid to the comprehensibility of the analysis results and their ethically compliant use for intervention planning.
Artificial Intelligence-supported communication between health expert and patient takes place via a web platform and a smartwatch.
Project Partners
The project consortium is made up of 18 partners from ten countries:
- Mainz University Medical Center
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis
- Charokopeio Panepistimio
- EXUS Software Ltd.
- Ainigma Technologies BV
- MCS Data Labs GmbH
- Futuro Perfecto Innovacion DL
- European Cancer Patients Coalition
- Curie Institute
- Rambam Health Cooperation
- Sihtasutus Põhja-Eesti Regionaalhaigla
- Jules Bordet Institute
- DBC Europe
- Pulsify Medical
- Center for Social Innovation
- Rosenbaum Consulting Ltd.
Project Funding and Duration
This project is funded by the Framework Program for Research and Innovation »Horizon Europe« of the European Union. The project started on 01 September 2022 and is scheduled for four years.