PanSupport - development of an experience based co-design, supportive care app with and for people affected by pancreatic cancer

Project Details

Each year in Australia approximately 3,100 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival of all cancer types worldwide with a death-to-incidence ratio approaching one. Even with promising response to initial treatment, the recurrence rate is high with a median survival of five months. Almost 60% of patients present with metastatic disease. Despite the poor prognosis and considerable symptom burden associated with the disease, there has been little investigation of the supportive care needs of patients and/or their carers, limiting the ability to develop resources targeted to their specific needs.  But a study funded by Cancer Australia as part of their Supporting People with Cancer grant initiative, will deliver a supportive care app co-designed with people affected by pancreatic cancer, to optimise access to best-practice self-management information and tools to support wellbeing, irrespective of where people live. The app will be the first dedicated app of its kind in Australia, delivering a new supportive care resource to a community of people affected by one of the most devastating of all cancers.

Visit www.pansupport.org.au to view the resource.

Researchers

  • Prof Mei Krishnasamy, Chair in Cancer Nursing, Department of Nursing & Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne; VCCC Research and Education Lead – Cancer Nursing (Principal Investigator)
  • A/Prof Soumitri Varadarajan, Deputy Dean - Industrial and Interior Design, School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University
  • Catherine Devereux, Research Project Manager, Department of Nursing & Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne
  • Barry Westhorpe, CEO, Pancare Foundation
  • A/Prof Mehrdad Nikfarjam, Liver, Pancreas & Biliary Surgeon, Founder Pancare Foundation
  • Wendy Maher, Consumer Advisors
  • Penelope Sanderson, General Manager Cancer Services, Olivia Newton-John Cancer, Wellness and Research Centre (ONJ), Austin Health
  • Amanda Piper, Head of Cancer Strategy, Strategy and Support, Cancer Council Victoria
  • A/Prof Michael Michael, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Upper GI Service, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
  • Megan Rogers, Advanced Practice Nurse, Upper GI Service, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
  • Professor Jennifer Philip, Chair of Palliative Medicine, University of Melbourne & St Vincents Hospital
  • Alison Hocking, Head of Social Work, Royal Melbourne Hospital

Funding

Cancer Australia

Research Group

Cancer Nursing Research



Faculty Research Themes

Cancer

School Research Themes

Cancer, Practice and service improvement, Recovery and Rehabilitation Across the Lifespan



Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.

Department / Centre

Nursing

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