Cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body, so that it can attack surrounding tissues and spread to other parts of the body through a process called metastasis. The main risk factors for cancer include an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, an unbalanced diet, and excessive exposure to UV rays. Genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and radiation also contribute to the risk of developing cancer.
Based on data from Global Cancer Statistics (GLOBOCAN), cancer is one of the health problems that continues to increase in Indonesia. There were 396,914 new cases with 234,511 deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in men with 1,796,144 cases, while breast cancer is the most common in women with 684,996 cases.
Patients with terminal cancer often face severe pain and emotional problems that interfere with their quality of life. As many as 60% of terminal cancer patients have difficulty doing activities and working outside the home due to unbearable pain. In addition, uncontrolled pain can cause depression which worsens the patient’s condition.
This problem is a major concern for students of the Faculty of Engineering (FT) and the Faculty of Medicine (FK) of Universitas Brawijaya (UB). Innovative and effective solutions are needed that can help cancer patients overcome their pain and emotional problems. By utilizing existing technology, five students from Universitas Brawijaya created an innovation in the form of a medical vest equipped with various advanced technology features for palliative care, namely PALIAVEST.
PALIAVEST is equipped with TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and thermotherapy methods to launch blood flow and reduce pain in terminal cancer patients. In addition, this vest has aromatherapy and multimedia features that help patients psychologically and provide a relaxing effect. With the support of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, PALIAVEST is equipped with an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor that can monitor heart rhythm and is connected to a smartphone.
With the guidance by Ir Nurussa’adah, M.T. this has succeeded in obtaining research funding in the Student Creativity Program in the field of Creative Initiative in 2024. The five students are Muhamad Asyir Zarkasih, Aryo Nabil Maulana, Akmal Mulki from FTUB, Shalihat Azka Sabrina, and Cristhalenta Renata from FKUB.
The team leader, Muhamad Asyir Zarkasih explained that this idea came from his life story where his mother was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer and had to fight the disease until the end of her life, he saw how difficult the struggle of a cancer patient was when they were in a phase where they could only receive palliative treatment.
“We want to provide a real solution to help cancer patients live the rest of their lives more comfortably and with dignity. PALIAVEST is expected to be a friend who can ease their burden,” said Muhamad Asyir Zarkasih.
PALIAVEST presents two main features, namely a monitoring system and a therapy system. The monitoring system uses a cardiogram electrode (ECG) to continuously monitor the user’s heart rate. The information collected from this monitoring not only provides an overview of the user’s heart condition, but also helps in evaluating the level of comfort when undergoing therapy with PALIAVEST. The availability of this data also allows users and families to understand the positive impact that this device has on patient comfort.
Meanwhile, in the therapy system, PALIAVEST offers the use of an effective TENS method to relieve pain. Therapy is carried out in the long term using a 5 Volt voltage output with a frequency of 2 Hz and 100 Hz. TENS therapy has 2 methods, namely the Low TENS and High TENS methods, the duration of the low method ranges from 15 to 25 minutes, the high method ranges from 60 to 120 minutes. The method is adjusted to the specific needs of the patient and determined by the doctor in charge. This approach is designed to provide significant assistance in overcoming pain problems in patients with terminal cancer.
“Usually, patients consume painkillers or even invasive analgesics in some cases. However, with the development of current technology, analgesics can also be given in other ways such as TENS which is non-invasive.” said Renata.
“This medical vest is not only ergonomically designed for user comfort with a cotton inner, but also fits a variety of body shapes. Features such as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), thermotherapy, and aromatherapy help reduce pain and provide support.” psychological that is important for patients.” said Aryo.
The PALIAVEST application has several functions. The first function is to control the work of therapy on the vest. The TENS, Thermotherapy, and Aromatherapy therapy systems are controlled through the PALIAVEST application. In addition, there is a heart rate monitoring system that can see the heart rate value per minute. Another function in the application is an additional multimedia feature in the form of music, video, and a sharing feature for fellow cancer sufferers.
PALIAVEST is here to overcome these obstacles by offering a more efficient and easy-to-use palliative care solution. With features such as TENS, thermotherapy, aromatherapy, and multimedia, PALIAVEST can help reduce pain and provide psychological support to patients. An electrocardiogram sensor connected to a smartphone via IoT allows real-time monitoring of heart rhythm, providing an additional sense of security for patients and their families.
Ir. Nurussa’adah, M.T, the main supervisor of the PKM-KC PALIVEST team, expressed her pride in the students’ achievements. “This innovation shows that our students have a high level of concern for public health issues. The university will continue to support innovative projects such as PALIAVEST.”
PALIAVEST has been tested on several patients in Malang and received positive responses. The patients felt more comfortable and the pain they experienced was significantly reduced. With PALIAVEST, it is hoped that the quality of life of end-stage cancer patients can improve, giving new hope to them and their families who care for them.
The PALIAVEST team plans to develop its innovation further and hopes to help more cancer patients throughout Indonesia. It is hoped that PALIAVEST can inspire more research and development in the field of medical technology for palliative care, so that more patients can feel the benefits. [pkmkc/pon/UB PR/ Trans. Iir]
