Mobile App Assistance for Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: City of Hope Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Non-English, Mobile device use

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

20 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This clinical trial determines how well the oncpatient mobile application work in assisting patients undergoing radiation treatment. Radiation therapy can be complex. The technology, daily treatments, and possible side effects can be confusing to prevent and manage. Traditional radiation patient education includes a large amount of information, including details of treatment logistics, side effect prevention, and management. However, this information is not always readily accessible or memorable through the long course of therapy, and critical details can be missed. Oncpatient is a mobile application intended to be a more convenient and accessible form of patient education and guidance that is readily available to help patients and their caretakers navigate through radiation treatment.

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

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on using a mobile app to assist with radiation therapy, so it's unlikely that your current medications would be affected.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Oncpatient for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy?

The study on the 'Assisted Radiation Oncology Mobile Application' (AROMA) showed that a mobile app can improve communication between patients and doctors during radiation therapy, with high satisfaction rates for side effect reporting and communication features. This suggests that similar mobile app-based treatments like Oncpatient could be effective in supporting cancer patients during radiation therapy. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the mobile app for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy safe to use?

Research shows that mobile apps for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, like the Assisted Radiation Oncology Mobile Application (AROMA), are generally safe and well-received. Patients reported high satisfaction with the app's design and its ability to help manage side effects and communicate with doctors. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

How does the mobile app assistance treatment for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it uses a mobile app to help cancer patients manage symptoms and participate in their care during radiation therapy. The app provides real-time symptom assessment, self-care advice, and immediate access to clinicians, which is not typically available with standard treatments. ^{1 3 8 9 10}

Research Team

Colton Ladbury

Principal Investigator

City of Hope Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 18 with any type or stage of cancer who are about to start radiation therapy. Participants must be able to read and speak English, provide informed consent, and have regular access to a mobile device.

Inclusion Criteria

Can read and speak English and provide informed consent

I have been diagnosed with cancer, regardless of its stage or where it is in my body.

Has regular access to a mobile device

Exclusion Criteria

I cannot use a smartphone or tablet.

I am under 18 years old.

I do not speak English.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Radiation Therapy

Participants use the oncpatient mobile application over the course of radiation therapy

Up to 1 year

Daily treatments

Follow-up

Participants complete a survey on the final day of radiation treatment to assess satisfaction and usability of the mobile application

1 day

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Oncpatient

Trial Overview The trial is testing the 'Oncpatient' mobile app designed to assist patients during radiation treatment. It aims to make patient education more accessible by providing guidance on treatment logistics and side effect management through the app.

Participant Groups

Group I: Supportive Care (oncpatient application, survey) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Patients use the oncpatient mobile application over the course of radiation therapy. Patients also complete a survey on the final day of radiation treatment.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

City of Hope Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

614

Recruited

1,924,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Findings from Research

A web-based interface (WBI) for patient symptom self-reporting during chemoradiation therapy was found to be feasible and well-received, with 92% of patients reporting easy access to the surveys.

Despite high satisfaction, survey fatigue was noted, as 58% of patients felt the surveys were too long or frequent, suggesting a need for a more patient-centered approach to improve engagement.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Web-Based Symptom Monitoring With Patient-Reported Outcomes During Definitive Radiation Therapy With Chemotherapy (SYMPATHY): A Prospective Single-Center Phase 1 Study. Ma, TM., Yang, T., Philipson, R., et al.[2023]

In a 2-week trial involving 32 adult radiation oncology patients, the Health Storylines app demonstrated favorable usability, with 81% of participants finding it easy to use.

The app was accessed a total of 711 times, indicating a high level of engagement among users, which suggests that mobile health tracking apps may be well-received in clinical populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Usability and Acceptability of a Patient-Centered Mobile Health Tracking App Among a Sample of Adult Radiation Oncology Patients. Birkhoff, SD., Cantrell, MA., Moriarty, H., et al.[2019]

The study developed an affordable smartphone-based virtual reality (VR) platform that effectively reduces patient anxiety during radiation therapy, with participants reporting a decrease in anxiety after watching VR videos depicting their treatment process.

Patients found the VR experience helpful, with 96.4% of Group A and 90.9% of Group B appreciating the VR aspect, indicating that this innovative approach can enhance patient comfort and understanding of their treatment journey.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Affordable Platform for Virtual Reality-Based Patient Education in Radiation Therapy. Schulz, JB., Dubrowski, P., Blomain, E., et al.[2023]

The Assisted Radiation Oncology Mobile Application (AROMA) was developed to improve communication between patients and radiation oncologists, and it received a high satisfaction rating of 8.6 out of 10 from users, indicating its potential effectiveness.

In a study involving 41 patients, the application was particularly praised for its side effect reporting function (94% positive feedback) and overall communication capabilities (91% positive feedback), suggesting it could enhance patient management during radiotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of an Integrated Mobile Application System for Patients with Radiation Therapy: A Pilot Study. Park, J., Yea, JW., Oh, SA., et al.[2022]

The CancerHelp-Talking Touchscreen (CancerHelp-TT) program significantly improved cancer knowledge among patients with Stage I-III breast or colorectal cancer, with an effect size of 0.48, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing patient understanding during treatment.

While the intervention showed positive trends in self-efficacy, health beliefs, and satisfaction with communication, the overall effect sizes were small, suggesting that additional support may be necessary for vulnerable patients outside of cancer clinic settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Low Literacy, Multimedia Health Information Technology Intervention to Enhance Patient-Centered Cancer Care in Safety Net Settings Increased Cancer Knowledge in a Randomized Controlled Trial. Peipert, JD., Lad, T., Khosla, PG., et al.[2023]

A study involving 77 cancer patients (37 with gynaecological cancer and 40 with prostate cancer) found that both electronic and paper formats of patient-reported toxicity questionnaires yielded consistent and reliable results in measuring treatment-related side effects after radiotherapy.

Patients generally found both formats clear and easy to use, with nearly half having no preference, indicating that electronic data capture for reporting toxicity is feasible and acceptable in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of data capture for patient-reported toxicity following radiotherapy for prostate or cervical cancer. Farnell, DJ., Routledge, J., Hannon, R., et al.[2022]

References

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

Web-Based Symptom Monitoring With Patient-Reported Outcomes During Definitive Radiation Therapy With Chemotherapy (SYMPATHY): A Prospective Single-Center Phase 1 Study. [2023]

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

The Usability and Acceptability of a Patient-Centered Mobile Health Tracking App Among a Sample of Adult Radiation Oncology Patients. [2019]

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

An Affordable Platform for Virtual Reality-Based Patient Education in Radiation Therapy. [2023]

4. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of an Integrated Mobile Application System for Patients with Radiation Therapy: A Pilot Study. [2022]

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

A Low Literacy, Multimedia Health Information Technology Intervention to Enhance Patient-Centered Cancer Care in Safety Net Settings Increased Cancer Knowledge in a Randomized Controlled Trial. [2023]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of data capture for patient-reported toxicity following radiotherapy for prostate or cervical cancer. [2022]

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

Development and Pilot Implementation of a Remote Monitoring System for Acute Toxicity Using Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer. [2022]

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

Apps for Radiation Oncology. A Comprehensive Review. [2020]

9. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Early detection and management of symptoms using an interactive smartphone application (Interaktor) during radiotherapy for prostate cancer. [2022]

10. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patients' Perspective on Participation in Care With or Without the Support of a Smartphone App During Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: Qualitative Study. [2019]