1487P - Telemonitoring system effectiveness for alleviating cancer pain in patients with advanced cancer

Background

Information and Communication Technology-based self-management support has been demonstrated to be effective in relieving symptoms for patients with advanced cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a telemonitoring system for cancer pain relief in outpatients with advanced cancer in Japan.

Methods

The study was conducted between December 2019 and February 2023. This study included patients attending Tohoku University Hospital as outpatients, regularly taking opioids for cancer pain, with a mean pain NRS of ≥3 in 24 hours. Participants were randomized into intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. The intervention group received telemonitoring care using the Cancer Pain Monitoring System (CAPAMOS). This comprises five components: symptom checks, medication checks, graphical records, pain booklet, and contact with a telenurse (chats, phones, and video phones). Alerts were sent to a telenurse when a patient’s symptoms worsened. The control group maintained a pain diary. An assessment of pain (NRS), quality of life (VAS), and opioid self-management scale (Opioid Self-Management Scale for Advanced Cancer Patients with Pain: OSSA) was conducted at baseline and after 2 and 4 weeks. Further, the Ethics Committee of Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine reviewed the study (approval no. 2020-1-194).

Results

A total of 48 patients were enrolled in this study. There were no significant differences in baseline age (intervention 53.5 vs. control 57.0, p=0.68), severe pain (5.0 vs. 5.0, p=0.92), average pain (4.0 vs. 4.0, p=0.41), OSSA scores (135.0 vs. 130.0, p=0.06) and QOL (70.0 vs. 64.0, p=0.86) between groups. At 2 weeks post-intervention, no significant association was observed. At 1 month post-intervention, severe pain (5.0 vs. 5.5, p = 0.37), average pain (3.0, vs. 4.0, p = 0.41), OSSA scores (136.5 vs. 123.5, p=0.06), and QOL scores (57.5 vs. 50.0, p = 0.58) were not statistically significant. The scores for understanding pain characteristics in OSSA were significantly higher in the OSSA group than in the control group (10.0 vs. 8.0, p=0.04).

Conclusions

Telemonitoring support has led to educational advantages, such as improving patients’ understanding of opioid self-management and pain characteristics.

Clinical trial identification

UMIN000038334.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.

Funding

JSPS KAKENHI.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.