The following article features coverage from the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. Click here to read more of Oncology Nurse Advisor‘s conference coverage.

CHICAGO — Patients at risk for poor adherence to oral chemotherapy may be able to improve adherence by using a smartphone mobile app, investigators reported at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

Joseph A. Greer, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues enrolled 181 patients with various cancers who were prescribed oral chemotherapy and randomly assigned them to receive either a smartphone mobile app or standard care. The app included a medication treatment plan with alerts, symptom reporting module, education library, and cancer-specific resources. The primary outcome was adherence, as measured by electronic pill cap (MEMS) and self-report. At baseline and 12 weeks, investigators asked patients to complete the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MMAS), and Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale (HADS-Anxiety).

Across all patients, the mobile app did not significantly improve adherence, symptoms, or quality of life, Dr Greer and his team concluded. Among patients who reported adherence problems on MMAS, however, those assigned to the mobile app had significant better mean MEMS adherence than those who did not (86.23 vs 63.94; P =.034), according to the investigators.

Among patients with higher anxiety on the HADS-Anxiety scale, those in the mobile app arm had significantly better mean MEMS adherence (85.46 vs 69.39; P

Mobile App May Improve Oral Chemotherapy Adherence

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