A single-site pilot feasibility randomized trial of a supportive care mobile application intervention for patients with advanced cancer and caregivers

Purpose Mobile health interventions can improve patient care. We developed the Digital Supportive Care Awareness and Navigation (D-SCAN) application (app) to facilitate symptom monitoring and use/awareness of cancer supportive care resources. This study tested feasibility, usability/satisfaction, and preliminary efficacy of D-SCAN. Methods We randomized 50 patients with advanced cancer to receive the D-SCAN intervention or usual care; 10 caregivers also received D-SCAN. The primary feasibility outcome was determined by weekly symptom survey completion and end of study procedures. We assessed secondary outcomes including usability/satisfaction, awareness/use of supportive care resources, patient activation, and quality of life via various questionnaires including the Net Promoter Score (NPS), Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), and Caregiver Oncology Quality of Life (CarGOQOL) questionnaire. Results Seventy-six percent of intervention patients met feasibility criteria, exceeding our pre-determined threshold of 75%. Usability/satisfaction by NPS was high, at 14.3% and 12.5% for patients and caregivers, respectively. Intervention patient and caregiver resource awareness increased by a mean of 3.7 ( p = 0.27) and 4.1 items, respectively. Supportive care resource utilization increased by a mean of 0.8 items for intervention patients ( p = 0.70) and 0.6 for caregivers. PAM-13 increased by a mean of 1.6 for intervention patients ( p = 0.65). FACT-G increased by a mean of 1.1 for intervention patients ( p = 0.91), and CarGOQoL increased by a mean of 2.2 ( p = 0.41). Conclusion D-SCAN is a feasible, usable, and satisfactory intervention for augmenting patient and caregiver supportive care. Further testing is necessary to formally assess D-SCAN’s efficacy and impact on patients and caregivers. Clinical trial registration number. NCT03628794. Registered on August 14th, 2018.