Integrative Oncology - Digital Self Care Offers for People with Cancer
Living with cancer can affect many areas of daily life. Cancer symptoms and side effects of cancer therapies often reduce quality of life and leave people searching for safe and reliable ways to actively support their own well-being. This project aims to develop a free digital health offer that is accessible via a website and provides evidence-based information and practical self care applications in the field of Integrative Oncology, with a focus on mind body medicine self care techniques. In close collaboration with patients and health professionals, we develop an online offer with complementary and integrative self care treatments that are accessible, understandable, and safe for people with cancer.
Free and accessible digital self care for people with cancer
Many people with cancer wish to take a more active role in improving their quality of life during and after therapy. However, reliable information about complementary and integrative therapies is often difficult to find, hard to understand, or not evidence based.
Our project addresses this gap by developing and implementing free-of-charge easily accessible offers provided on a website. The website will provide structured, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand information about complementary and integrative oncology approaches. In addition to background knowledge, the website offers diverse self care techniques that can be directly integrated into daily life. These may include practical guidance, step-by-step instructions, and supportive exercises aimed at managing symptoms such as fatigue, pain, stress, or sleep disturbances. These methods are low-risk and can be learned and practiced independently.
Evidence-based information and practical applications
While many patients are interested in such Integrative Oncology options, they often lack access to clear information about effectiveness, safety, and possible limitations.
In particular, Mind Body Medicine offers a range of structured self care techniques (e.g., relaxation exercises, acupressure) that can support symptom management and emotional well-being. All content on the website is developed through a participatory interprofessional process and is based on the best available scientific evidence. We will explain what is known about the benefits and risks of specific self care techniques and where scientific evidence may still be limited.
Importantly, this digital offer does not replace cancer treatments. Instead, it complements supportive cancer care.
By combining reliable information with practical self care techniques, the website supports people with cancer in actively participating in their own care in a safe and informed way.
A participative approach to developing digital health solutions
We use a participative approach. People with cancer and health professionals are actively involved in shaping both the content and the digital format of the website. Their experiences and feedback ensure that the information is relevant, understandable, and supportive in everyday life.
The project is carried out in collaboration with the Clinical Program of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Zurich. An interprofessional core team including advanced nursing practitioners, clinicians, researchers, patients, and teaching experts works together to develop suitable content formats and innovative presentation styles.
As part of the Digital Health Design Living Lab Challenge 2026, interdisciplinary teams are invited to design and develop appropriate formats and presentation methods to convey the content in an innovative and patient-oriented way.
http://www.dhdll.ch/en/challenge
This participative and user-centered process ensures that the digital health offer is:
- Free and easily accessible via a dedicated website
- Scientifically sound and transparent
- Practical and application-oriented
- Written in clear, patient-friendly language
- Designed to be low-threshold and inclusive
Through this project, we aim to create a sustainable and scalable digital health offer for Integrative Oncology self care as part of supportive cancer care.
Funding
The project was partially funded through funds acquired by the USZ Foundation.