Evaluation of a mobile phone-based, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS) in the management of chemotherapy-related toxicity

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of a mobile phone-based, remote monitoring, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS) on the incidence, severity and distress of six chemotherapy-related symptoms (nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mucositis, hand-foot syndrome and diarrhoea) in patients with lung, breast or colorectal cancer.

Design: A two group (intervention and control) by five time points (baseline, pre-cycle 2, pre-cycle 3, pre-cycle 4 and pre-cycle 5) randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Seven clinical sites in the UK; five specialist cancer centres and two local district hospitals.

Participants: One hundred and twelve people with breast, lung or colorectal cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy.

Interventions: A mobile phone-based, remote monitoring, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS).

Main outcome measures: Chemotherapy-related morbidity of six common chemotherapy-related symptoms (nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mucositis, hand-foot syndrome and diarrhoea).

Results: There were significantly higher reports of fatigue in the control group compared to the intervention group (odds ratio = 2.29, 95%CI = 1.04 to 5.05, P = 0.040) and reports of hand-foot syndrome were on average lower in the control group (odds ratio control/intervention = 0.39, 95%CI = 0.17 to 0.92, P = 0.031).

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that ASyMS can support the management of symptoms in patients with lung, breast and colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy.