ADAPT v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating a digital tool for supporting breast cancer patients: A prospective randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
250002
Contact name
Olga Husson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Marsden Hospital
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
In early-stage breast cancer patients, inpatient costs alone in the first six months after diagnosis amount to over £150 million. In recent years, the NHS and care providers have been encouraging patients to take an active role in managing their health in order to improve care and combat rising costs. Higher patient activation, a measure of a patient's knowledge and management of their own disease, has been linked to lower rates of hospitalisation and reduced costs.
In this study, we would like to test whether providing patients with the OWise Breast Cancer digital tool, in addition to standard care, improves patient activation in early-stage breast cancer patients more than standard care alone.
OWise Breast Cancer is a digital tool that can be accessed as a mobile application or website. The tool offers various functions to help patients take an active role including a glossary, a recording device for consultations, a symptom tracker, and a modifiable question list. Patients can also input clinical information for personalised basic medical information.
The study will take place in NHS trusts around the London area. All early-stage breast cancer patients will be invited at diagnosis in clinic by a member of the medical team. Half the patients will be given information about the digital tool and half the patients will receive standard care alone. All the patients will complete a baseline questionnaire before starting anti-cancer treatment and follow-up questionnaires at three months, six months and one year.
In North West London, a collective electronic patient record exists called Whole System Integrated Care, allowing doctors to access information from primary care, secondary care and social care. We will also access this information with consent from patients included in the system to understand whether or not the digital tool has reduced the use of health resources and health care costs.
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0725
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jul 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion