Proactive Symptom Monitoring by Pharmacists Using a Cancer Patient Support App in Out-patient Oral Multi-kinase Inhibitor Therapy: Feasibility Study of a Small Patient Population

Abstract

Background/aim: Measures to control adverse events (AEs) in the use of oral multi-kinase inhibitors (OMI) are important for the continuation of treatment.

Patients and methods: In this study, oncology pharmacists monitored symptoms of patients receiving outpatient therapy with OMIs in real-time using a smartphone Web app for the early detection/early treatment of AEs. This feasibility study evaluated the effects of using the app in 10 patients compared with data from 10 patients who did not use the app.

Results: In the app group, grade 3 AEs were reported in all patients on the day of their occurrence. In contrast, in the no-app group, it took 1-22 days for pharmacists to detect these AEs, among whom 2 patients needed emergency consultations and admissions due to grade 3 AEs. In the app group, 1 patient had an emergency consultation, without admission. The percentage of patients requiring 10 minutes or more for symptom checking during the interview before the physician's examination was significantly lower (p=0.001), and the frequency of telephone calls was also significantly lower (p=0.029) in the app group compared to the no app group.

Conclusion: Using the Web app facilitates the early detection of AEs, contributing to reducing the need for emergency consultations and admissions, and minimizing the time pharmacists spend confirming symptoms with patients.

Keywords: Oral multi-kinase inhibitor; Web app; cancer patients; monitoring; oncology pharmacist; outpatients.