The Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol (HUCS), part of the Andalusian Health Service, IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND and the University of Málaga are leading Spain’s participation in WISH (Women’s Integrated Support for Hormonal Health), a European project developing personalized support for women with early breast cancer who are receiving hormone therapy. The project uses a digital platform connected with primary care and hospital oncology teams. Its aims include helping identify symptoms and adverse effects early, supporting continuity of treatment, monitoring quality of life and providing reliable, accessible information while maintaining contact with health professionals between hospital visits. The platform also includes material promoting healthy habits, covering nutrition, physical activity, sleep quality and smoking cessation.
WISH began in April 2026. Spain’s lead is Marilina García-Aranda, co-investigator responsible for IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND–University of Málaga–Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol’s B-14 Research Group on Translational Research and Health Outcomes in Cancer and Chronic Diseases. Cristina Quero, head of medical oncology at HUCS, is the project’s clinical lead.
García-Aranda said the project aims to help patients feel supported after returning to daily life. She said WISH is not intended to replace hospital care, but to bring follow-up closer to patients, provide reliable information and help identify needs or problems so they can reach the appropriate professional when needed.
Quero said women with early breast cancer generally have a good prognosis but need to continue hormone therapy for years. Side effects can affect quality of life and, in some cases, lead patients to interrupt or stop treatment that is important for reducing the risk of recurrence. She said WISH could help identify problems affecting adherence early and allow treatment strategies to be better tailored to each patient.
Marbella hosted the WISH consortium’s general meeting on October 5 and 6, bringing together European partners to review progress since the project began and define its next stages. Participants included European coordinator Federico Sottotetti of ICS Maugeri Hospital in Pavia, Italy; Michel Deriaz and Benoit Savoini of Haute École de Gestion de Genève, Switzerland; Mara Diacon of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology; and César Agostinis Sobrinho of Klaipėda University, Lithuania. Teams from HUCS, IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND and the University of Málaga’s Mobilenet Mobile Networks Laboratory also took part. Marbella City Council contributed to the meeting.
WISH is designed as a participatory project, involving patients, family members and health professionals from its early stages to help shape the care model, platform features and content. The project will last three years. The first year is devoted to designing and co-creating the model and platform; the second to carrying out and evaluating the new follow-up model; and the third to analyzing results and refining the platform based on implementation experience, in order to define the final model.