AMIA: uma ferramenta para acompanhamento de reações adversas na terapia sistêmica contra o câncer

Abstract

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, with systemic anti-cancer therapy being one of the most frequently used treatments. Despite its effectiveness in eliminating cancer cells, this approach negatively impacts healthy cells, triggering considerable side effects, both physical and psychological. Consequently, individuals often experience depression and may discontinue treatment, making the development of support strategies for patients crucial. Coping with those undesirable effects at home can be challenging for patients, especially considering the scarcity of resources in Brazilian Portuguese that offer support. In this context, this paper proposes the development of a tool called Amia, a chatbot that uses a structured dialogue based on a flowchart prepared by a team of health professional from Liga Contra o Câncer (League Against Cancer). Patients can report how they feel based on a choice of pre-defined symptoms, receiving corresponding guidance. Additionally, the tool allows patients to enter free text, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to identify symptoms and offer appropriate guidance based on a previous list of adverse symptoms with their respective management strategies. This proposal aims to improve the quality of life of patients undergoing systemic anti-cancer treatment, enabling more effective self-management of adverse effects in their everyday environment, and contributing to the creation of a database that can be used for studies on the reports of the main adverse symptoms of the treatment.