Credit: Colive Cancer/LIH
The Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) has announced the launch of "Colive Cancer", a study aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of the current national cancer healthcare system by interacting directly with patients via an online feedback system.
As part of the National Cancer Plan, the LIH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is launching Colive Cancer, a nationwide initiative in which current and former cancer patients can share their experiences to improve cancer care in the country.
Colive Cancer is led by Dr Guy Fagherazzi of the LIH Department of Precision Health Phenotyping research unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Health as part of the 2nd National Cancer Plan (Plan National Cancer 2 - PNC2), running from 2020 to 2024.
According to the National Cancer Registry and the European Cancer Information System, every year roughly 3,000 new cases of cancer are discovered in Luxembourg and approximately 1,100 people die from the disease - representing about a quarter of all annual deaths nationwide. Cancer is the leading cause of death for men and the second leading cause for women. Currently, there are estimated to be approximately 18,000 people living with cancer in Luxembourg, almost 3% of the population.
The PNC2 is a continuation of the first National Action Plan, originally initiated by the Ministry of Health in 2014. This second phase of the plan, initiated in 2020, is focused on translational oncology, digitalisation of data and working with patients and aims to directly implement their feedback in order to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment in Luxembourg.
Colive Cancer is an online survey that can be accessed via smartphone or laptop where participants can share their experiences and express their opinions about the current healthcare system in relation to cancer and their overall quality of life. It is split into several short modules and is available in four languages: English, French, German and Portuguese. Participation is limited to adult patients, including patients currently or formerly treated for cancer in Luxembourg within the last five years.
Participants will be asked to give details about their diagnoses and treatments, the care and support they received and their overall experiences in all aspects. Former patients will also be asked to provide feedback about their follow-up care and their post-cancer lives in general. Colive Cancer will also give participants information about cancer and exercise, diet, psychological support and more throughout the study.
The LIH assured that all data will be treated as strictly confidential.
"This project is a unique opportunity to improve the cancer care system in Luxembourg, thanks to direct inputs from the patients themselves! This patient-centred approach will allow us, for the first time in Luxembourg, to identify what works well, and also perhaps more importantly, what to improve on in the National Cancer Plan," said Dr Guy Fagherazzi, leader of the project.
Colive Cancer is currently recruiting participants on the official website: https://www.colivecancer.lu/en/.
