About the platform

This platform was made possible through open-access publications and materials available on the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) website, and it was developed by Make.org. The project was made possible through financial support from La Roche-Posay, which had no influence over the content. It uses artificial intelligence to help you find reliable answers to questions about supportive care in cancer.

Supportive care in cancer is the prevention and management of the adverse effects of cancer and its treatment. This includes management of physical and psychological symptoms and side effects across the continuum of the cancer journey from diagnosis through treatment to post-treatment care. Supportive care aims to improve the quality of rehabilitation, secondary cancer prevention, survivorship, and end-of-life care. That’s why excellent cancer care requires supportive care!

The goal is to make scientifically sound, easy-to-understand information more accessible to patients, their relatives, and healthcare professionals. The platform can complement medical care by giving you access to reliable, science-based information on supportive care in cancer treatment. It provides educational information only and it is not a substitute for medical advice. For any personal medical decisions or guidance, always consult your healthcare team, who knows your situation best. For personal medical contacts or referrals, your healthcare provider remains the right person to contact.

The platform draws information from resources available on the MASCC website. Each answer includes sources allowing you to explore the content further if you wish. The sources include, but are not limited to:

• Clinical practice guidelines
• MASCC assessment tools
• Scientific publications
• Educational webinars and videos
• Patient education materials

The platform is powered by an AI system which uses a method called semantic search to generate the most relevant answers from the existing sources. This means it looks for documents that match the meaning of your question. It selects sources based on quality and relevance. There are several sources which provide an accurate answer and therefore the sources can vary for the same question, depending on how the question is asked.

The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) is an international, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the practice, education and research of supportive care in cancer. MASCC’s mission is to continually improve the supportive care of people with cancer – from diagnosis through to survival or end-of-life care.

Make.org is a civic tech leader in participatory democracy in Europe. Make.org creates digital solutions that empower citizens to take part in the positive transformation of society and organizations.

Who can use this tool?

The platform is freely accessible and available to everyone (no registration is required). It is designed for the general public, including patients, their relatives and healthcare professionals.

Can I use the platform in other languages besides English?

The platform is built in English and is currently designed to be used in English only.

How can I use the tool?

For more details on how to use the tool, please refer to the user guide which provides instructions and additional information.

Does the tool remember previous questions or have a conversation history?

No, the tool has not been designed to be conversational and currently does not retain previous questions. Each question you ask is treated separately and independently, without memory or keeping a conversation history.

Why does the tool sometimes reply with "I’m unable to answer"?

It usually happens when no relevant information can be retrieved, i.e. when there is not enough data or sources to answer your question. We analyze the questions regularly so we can enrich the database accordingly. If the platform doesn’t answer, you can also try rephrasing or making your question more specific to increase your chances of getting a helpful response.

Can answers vary if the same question is asked multiple times?

Yes, the wording and the sources can vary slightly, but the core message will remain the same. In some cases, it is possible that you will receive an answer to a specific question but other times you may not. This usually happens when the question is too vague or when limited information is available on the topic. In that case, try rephrasing your question to make it more specific.

Are the sources international or do they come mostly from one country?

The sources are primarily international. However, depending on the topic, some sources may be from specific countries.

Is the platform updated regularly?

Yes, the list of sources used by the platform is updated on a regular basis to reflect the most current information available on the MASCC website.

How can I enlarge the videos when viewing the sources?

You can click on the arrow icon at the bottom of the video and then select the full screen icon to enlarge it.