MyPal project
MyPal Project aimed to enhance palliative care for people with cancer by using patient-reported outcome (PRO) systems tailored to the individual needs of patients and their caregivers. Our team contributed through extensive focus groups, needs assessments, and qualitative analyses, providing key input to the design and adaptation of the intervention. The project validated the approach in two patient groups—adults and children with hematologic malignancies—through clinical studies conducted across diverse healthcare settings in Europe. MyPal-ADULT was implemented as a randomized controlled trial (RCT), while MyPal-CHILD followed an observational study design. Through these efforts, the project helped ensure that palliative care interventions are patient-centered, responsive, and applicable in real-world clinical practice.
Published work for this project
Bonotis, P., Chytas, A., Zacharioudakis, G., Karamanidou, C., Koumakis, L., Stamatopoulos, K., & Natsiavas, P. (2021). Randomization of Clinical Trial Participants via an Integrated Web Service. In Public Health and Informatics (pp. 1124-1125). IOS Press.
Bonotis, P., Meyerheim, M., Kakalou, C., Scarfo, L., Natsiavas, P., & Karamanidou, C. (2025). Enhancing Healthcare Professionals’ Adherence to the MyPal Project Digital Health Intervention Protocol Through Quick Reference Guides. Studies in health technology and informatics, 327, 283-287.
Bonotis, P., Schera, F., Karamanidou, C., Scarfo, L., Pontikoglou, C., & Maramis, C. (2022). Co-Designing Smartphone Notifications According to the Clinical Routine of Cancer Patients. In Informatics and Technology in Clinical Care and Public Health (pp. 494-495). IOS Press
Chatzikonstantinou, T., Vasilopoulou, M., Kyrou, D., Karakatsoulis, G., Argyropaidas, P., Besikli-Dimou, S., … & Karamanidou, C., Scarfo, L. (2024). Improving Quality of Life Based on Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes in Patients with CLL and MDS: The Mypal Study. Blood, 144(Supplement 1), 2358-2358.
Chatzikonstantinou, T., Vasilopoulou, M., Kyrou, D., Karakatsoulis, G., Argyropaidas, P., Besikli-Dimou, S., Bonotis, P., Chatzimina, M., Didi, J., Dimosthenous, C., Garani-Papadatos, T., Hoffman, S., Kakalou, C., Kazantzaki, E., Kiefer, S., Koumakis, L., Ling, J., Maramis, C., Meyerheim, M., Payne, C., … Scarfò, L. (2025). Assessing an eHealth Intervention on Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes: The MyPal Randomized Controlled Trial. JCO oncology practice, OP2500087. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1200/OP-25-00087
Garani-Papadatos, Τ., Natsiavas, P., Meyerheim, M., Hoffmann, S., Karamanidou, C., Payne, S. (2021) Ethical Principles in digital palliative care for children: the MyPal project and the way to a trustworthy approach. Frontiers in Digital Health, 27. doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.730430
Hoffmann, S., Schraut Ρ., Kröll T., Scholz W., Belova,T, Erhardt J., Gollmer D., Mauck C., Zacharioudakis G., Meyerheim, M, Bonotis P, Kakalou, C, Chatzimina, M, Karamanidou C., Sander A., Didi J., Graf N., and Natsiavas P. (2021) AquaScouts: ePROs Implemented as a Serious Game for Children With Cancer to Support Palliative Care. Frontiers in Digital Health, 3.
Karamanidou, C., Natsiavas, P., Koumakis, L., Marias, K., Schera, F., Schäfer, M., Payne, S., & Maramis, C. (2020). Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome-Based Interventions for Palliative Cancer Care: A Systematic and Mapping Review. JCO clinical cancer informatics, 4, 647–656. https://doi.org/10.1200/CCI.20.00015
Koumakis, L., Schera, F., Parker, H., Bonotis, P., Chatzimina, M., Argyropaidas, P., … & Natsiavas, P. (2021). Fostering palliative care through digital intervention: a platform for adult patients with hematologic malignancies. Frontiers in digital health, 3, 730722.
Kyrou, D., Bonotis, P., Kakalou, C., Vasilopoulou, M., Scarfò, L., Meyerheim, M., … & Karamanidou, C. (2025). Perceptions and Needs of Stakeholders Regarding MyPal Project’s Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome App: Cross-Sectional Qualitative Focus Group Study. JMIR cancer, 11(1), e57388.
Meyerheim, M., Karamanidou, C., Payne, S., Garani-Papadatos, T., Sander, A., Downing, J., … & Graf, N. (2021). MyPal-Child study protocol: an observational prospective clinical feasibility study of the MyPal ePRO-based early palliative care digital system in paediatric oncology patients. BMJ open, 11(4), e045226.
Scarfò, L., Karamanidou, C., Doubek, M., Garani-Papadatos, T., Didi, J., Pontikoglou, C., … & Stamatopoulos, K. (2021). MyPal ADULT study protocol: a randomised clinical trial of the MyPal ePRO-based early palliative care system in adult patients with haematological malignancies. BMJ open, 11(11), e050256.