Trial reportCancer medicine2020
Outcomes of a randomized controlled trial assessing a smartphone Application to reduce unmet needs among people diagnosed with CancEr (ACE).
Trial report in Cancer medicine, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Levels of Supportive Care Needs in Adults With Cancer.Psycho-oncology · 2026Pooled it
- Benefit of adding Cureety Techcare telemonitoring to usual care during injectable anticancer treatment: the OPTIMACURE multicentric French prospective randomized study.BMC health services research · 2025Trial
- Outcomes of a randomized controlled trial assessing a smartphone Application to reduce unmet needs among people diagnosed with CancEr (ACE).Cancer medicine · 2020Trial
- Article
- A cross sectional content analysis evaluates chemotherapy health information quality and reliability on TikTok and Bilibili.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Designing and conducting interventional trials with passive-sensing applications on patient-owned smartphones: challenges and recommendations from the BD4QoL study.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Efficacy of an online mindfulness program (EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Cancer Patients' Perspectives and Requirements of Digital Health Technologies: A Scoping Literature Review.Cancers · 2024Article
- People affected by cancer and their carers from gender and sexually diverse communities: their experiences and the role of smartphone applications.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Article
- An Evaluation of Interactive mHealth Applications for Adults Living with Cancer.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2023Article
- Article
- A Scoping Review and a Taxonomy to Assess the Impact of Mobile Apps on Cancer Care Management.Cancers · 2023Article
- Digital Health Interventions for Adult Patients With Cancer Evaluated in Randomized Controlled Trials: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- Article
- A Smartphone-Based App to Improve Adjuvant Treatment Adherence to Multidisciplinary Decisions in Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Observational Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Observational
- Assessment of Data Usage of Cancer e-Interventions (ADUCI) Framework for Health App Use of Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers: Framework Development Study.JMIR cancer · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
20 authors at 10 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSmartphone technology represents an opportunity to deliver practical solutions for people affected by cancer at a scale that was previously unimaginable, such as information, appointment monitoring, and improved access to cancer support services. This study aimed to determine whether a smartphone application (app) reduced the unmet needs among people newly diagnosed with cancer.
methodsA single blind, multisite randomized controlled trial to determine the impact of an app-based, 4-month intervention. Newly diagnosed cancer patients were approached at three health service treatment clinics.
resultsEighty-two people were randomized (intervention; n = 43 and control; n = 39), average age was 59.5 years (SD: 12.9); 71% female; 67% married or in a de facto relationship. At baseline, there were no differences in participants' characteristics between the groups. No significant effects, in reducing unmet needs, were demonstrated at the end of intervention (4-month) or 12-month follow-up. Overall, 94% used the app in weeks 1-4, which decreased to 41% in weeks 13-16. Mean app use time per participant: Cancer Information, 6.9 (SD: 18.9) minutes; Appointment Schedule, 5.1 (SD: 9.6) minutes; Cancer Services 1.5 minutes (SD: 6.8); Hospital Navigation, 1.4 (SD: 2.8) minutes.
conclusionsDespite consumer involvement in the design of this smartphone technology, the app did not reduce unmet needs. This may have been due to the study being underpowered. To contribute to a meaningful understanding and improved implementation of smartphone technology to support people affected by cancer, practical considerations, such as recruitment issues and access to, and confidence with, apps, need to be considered. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration (ACTRN) Trial Registration: 12616001251415; WEF 7/9/2016.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.