The Electronic patient self-Reporting of Adverse events: Patient Information and aDvice (eRAPID) system, developed by the University of Leeds, allows patients to report symptoms online from home and receive instant advice on whether to self-manage or seek medical attention.
The study, presented in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, randomly assigned 508 patients with colorectal, breast or gynaecological cancers commencing chemotherapy to receive usual care (UC) or UC with the addition of eRAPID.
Compared with UC, eRAPID showed improved physical well-being at six (P=.028) and 12 (P=.039) weeks, with no difference at 18 weeks (P=.6992).
Fewer eRAPID patients (47%) had clinically meaningful physical well-being deterioration (56%) at 12 weeks. Subgroup analysis found benefit in the nonmetastatic group at six weeks (P=.0426) but not in metastatic disease.
There were no differences for admissions or chemotherapy delivery.
At 18 weeks, patients using eRAPID reported better self-efficacy (P=.007) and better quality of life on EQ5D-VAS (P=.009).
Commenting on the findings, programme lead Professor Galina Velikova, at the Leeds Institute of Medical Research and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Rising numbers of cancer patients are receiving a range of anti-cancer treatments which means patients are living longer and require longer periods of care and monitoring."
"Remote online monitoring options have the potential to be a patient-centred, safe and effective approach to support patients during cancer treatment and manage the growing clinical workload for cancer care."
