Evaluation of a mobile phone based, Advanced Symptom Management System (ASyMS©) in the management of chemotherapy related toxicity

Citation

Kearney N, McCann LA, Norrie J, Taylor L, Gray P, McGee-Lennon M, Sage M, Miller M & Maguire R (2009) Evaluation of a mobile phone based, Advanced Symptom Management System (ASyMS©) in the management of chemotherapy related toxicity. Supportive Care in Cancer, 17 (4), pp. 437-444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0515-0

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a mobile phone-based, remote monitoring, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS((c))) 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((c))). 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((c)) can support the management of symptoms in patients with lung, breast and colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Keywords
cancer; mobile phone; technology; telehealth; telemedicine; chemotherapy; symptom; symptoms; lung cancer; breast cancer; colorectal cancer; neoplasms; symptom management; symptom improvement; evaluation; remote monitoring; mobile phone based technology; Cancer diagnosis; Cancer Nursing; Cancer pain Treatment; Oncologic Nursing methods; Pain therapy; Telecommunication in medicine; Monitoring Physiologic

Journal
Supportive Care in Cancer: Volume 17, Issue 4