Abstract CN6
Background
Patients use applications to get lifestyle advice, dietary information or practice somekinf of sports. Mobile health applications for patients with cancer might track deterioration and support education and recovery and have been suggested as a topic for research. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of the use of a mobile application developed using the evidence-based non-pharmacologic intervention on the quality of life of breast cancer patients during chemotherapy.
Methods
It was a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Women were randomized to the intervention group (n=20) using the mobile app developed for the breast cancer patients or the control group (n=20) receiving usual care in December 2019- February 2021. Symptom management guidelines were used for the development of the mobile app. Participants identification form, including sociodemographics, and disease and treatment-related characteristics, EORTC Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire were used to collect data. The research assistants collecting data were blinded to the women’s group allocation. Data collected before randomization at the first cycle of chemotherapy (T0), at the middle of the chemotherapy cycles (T1, 6th week), and the last chemotherapy cycle (T2, 12th week).
Results
Women had stage 2 or 3 breast cancer. Mean age was 52.1 for intervention, 55.7 years for the control group. The main effect of the intervention group on the average of the functional and symptoms scale score across time is statistically significant. Although women in both groups have decrease in their QOL score, women in the intervention group had statistically significantly less deterioration in two domains of QOL, including functional status, and increased symptom burden.
Conclusions
Mobile symptom management app has the potential to mitigate symptoms burden and functional status among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.