Smartphone App for Cancer-Related Pain Management

Overseen By Andrea Enzinger, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Disqualifiers: Visual impairment, Cognitive impairment, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

73 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems the study focuses on using a smartphone app to help manage cancer pain and track medications, so you might be able to continue your current treatment.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment I-STAMP for cancer-related pain management?

Research shows that mobile health technologies, like the mPCST app, can help cancer patients manage pain effectively. Patients using these apps reported less pain and better ability to handle their symptoms, similar to traditional in-person methods. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the smartphone app for cancer-related pain management safe for humans?

The smartphone app for cancer-related pain management, including versions like Pain Squad, has been tested for usability and safety in adolescents with cancer, focusing on ease of use and understanding. While specific safety data is not detailed, the app's design aims to improve pain management without reported adverse effects. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

How does the smartphone app for cancer-related pain management differ from other treatments?

This smartphone app is unique because it provides an integrated platform for cancer patients to assess their pain and related symptoms at home, reducing the need for frequent clinic visits. It offers a mobile pain coping skills training that is as effective as traditional in-person methods, making it highly accessible and engaging for patients. ^{1 5 7 10 11}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of the study is to evaluate if the smartphone app, I-STAMP (Integrated Smartphone Technology to Alleviate Malignant Pain), helps participants with cancer pain manage symptoms and keep track of medications.

Research Team

Andrea Enzinger, MD

Principal Investigator

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 21 years old who have advanced cancer and are currently experiencing or have experienced cancer-related pain. It's not specified who can't join, but typically those with conditions that could interfere with the app usage or study participation would be excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with advanced cancer.

I have experienced pain due to my cancer.

I am 21 years old or older.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

Data Collection

Activities 1-3 involve non-interventional data collection for application development

Usability and Acceptability Testing

Participants complete usability and acceptability assessments using validated scales

2 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for feedback and further data collection after initial testing

Treatment Details

Interventions

• I-STAMP

Trial Overview The I-STAMP trial is testing a smartphone app designed to help people with cancer manage their pain better. The app also helps track medication use to see if it improves symptom management.

Participant Groups

Group I: I-STAMP Testing Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Study procedures will be conducted as follows: Activities 1-3: Data Collection for application development Activity 4: To be added with future amendment

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,128

Recruited

382,000+

The Fund for Innovation in Cancer Informatics

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

70+

Findings from Research

A pilot study with 30 cancer patients showed that mobile pain coping skills training (mPCST) delivered via Skype is feasible and has low burden on patients, leading to high engagement and acceptability.

Patients using mPCST experienced significant reductions in pain severity and improved self-efficacy for pain management, with results comparable to those receiving traditional in-person training, indicating that mPCST can be an effective alternative for managing cancer pain.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Small Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial Comparing Mobile and Traditional Pain Coping Skills Training Protocols for Cancer Patients with Pain. Somers, TJ., Kelleher, SA., Westbrook, KW., et al.[2020]

A pilot study involving 40 women with breast cancer showed that using a symptom management mobile application alongside usual care led to better quality of life and lower severity of depression compared to those receiving only usual care.

The intervention group experienced less decline in general health and physical functioning during chemotherapy, suggesting that the mobile app may effectively support emotional and physical well-being during treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Mobile Application for Symptom Management in Patients With Breast Cancer. Seven, M., Paşalak, Ş., Bagcivan, G., et al.[2022]

The study aims to evaluate a smartphone application designed for real-time reporting of adverse events in cancer treatments, which could enhance early detection and management of side effects, ultimately improving patient safety and treatment outcomes.

The trial will involve 66 patients over six months, assessing the feasibility of the app and comparing the quality of life and therapy doses between those using the app and those receiving standard care, highlighting the importance of patient-reported symptoms in cancer treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Digitalization of adverse event management in oncology to improve treatment outcome-A prospective study protocol. Kestler, AMR., Kühlwein, SD., Kraus, JM., et al.[2021]

The Pain Squad app, designed for adolescents with cancer, effectively collects detailed pain data and has shown high compliance rates of 81% during a 2-week feasibility trial, indicating its usability and acceptance among users.

The app's game-based design and reward system were particularly appealing to adolescents, contributing to their satisfaction and consistent use, which is crucial for better pain management in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and testing of a multidimensional iPhone pain assessment application for adolescents with cancer. Stinson, JN., Jibb, LA., Nguyen, C., et al.[2022]

In a study of 139 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, using a mobile app for symptom tracking improved the stabilization of daily functional activity when patients reviewed their data with a physician, compared to those who used the app unsupervised.

Patients using the app reported more adverse events than those using traditional questionnaires, indicating that the app enhances awareness and reporting of chemotherapy side effects, particularly when used in a supervised setting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Mobile App to Stabilize Daily Functional Activity of Breast Cancer Patients in Collaboration With the Physician: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Egbring, M., Far, E., Roos, M., et al.[2022]

The mobile health platform Manage My Pain was well-accepted by patients at the Transitional Pain Service, with 67% of participants consenting to use it and 61% completing registration, indicating its potential as a valuable tool for pain self-management.

User retention rates were promising, with 67.9% of users continuing to engage with the app after 30 days and 43.2% after 90 days, suggesting that the app effectively supports ongoing pain monitoring and communication with healthcare providers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Engagement with Manage My Pain mobile health application among patients at the Transitional Pain Service. Slepian, PM., Peng, M., Janmohamed, T., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Small Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial Comparing Mobile and Traditional Pain Coping Skills Training Protocols for Cancer Patients with Pain. [2020]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Mobile Application for Symptom Management in Patients With Breast Cancer. [2022]

3. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical efficacy and implementation issues of an electronic pain reporting device among outpatients with cancer. [2022]

4. Italy pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Management of malignant bowel obstruction with decompression tubes. [2018]

5. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can we dream of an integrated pain management app for cancer patients? [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Digitalization of adverse event management in oncology to improve treatment outcome-A prospective study protocol. [2021]

7. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and testing of a multidimensional iPhone pain assessment application for adolescents with cancer. [2022]

8. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Mobile App to Stabilize Daily Functional Activity of Breast Cancer Patients in Collaboration With the Physician: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of a mHealth Real-Time Pain Self-Management App for Adolescents With Cancer: An Iterative Usability Testing Study [Formula: see text]. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Engagement with Manage My Pain mobile health application among patients at the Transitional Pain Service. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Steps to Develop a Mobile App for Pain Assessment of Cancer Patients: A Usability Study. [2021]