ArticleDigital health
Smartphone apps for cancer: A content analysis of the digital health marketplace.
Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
44 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A Systematic Review of Cervical Cancer Mobile Applications and a Future Directions for Developers.Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP · 2024Pooled it
- Mobile applications in radiation oncology-current choices and future potentials.Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al] · 2023Pooled it
- Rapid systematic review on developing web-based interventions to support people affected by cancer.BMJ open · 2022Pooled it
- Mobile Health Strategies to Tackle Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases With Recommendations From Innovative Experiences: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Pooled it
- Pilot Feasibility Trial of a Supportive Care Digital Application for Patients with Advanced Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer.Journal of palliative medicine · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Cocreating a Digital Patient Preparedness Tool for International Students Accessing Primary Care in Germany: A Convergent Methods Study Within the Health CASCADE Network.JMIR human factors · 2026Article
- Article
- Mobile Apps for Oncology Health Care Professionals: Mapping and Assessment Study.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Article
- Co-creation process of an app for people with rare diseases - a citizen science approach.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2025Article
- Efficacy of an app for self-efficacy of patients with cancer through tailored information delivery and coaching: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Employing bibliometrics and natural language processing (NLP) to analyse real-world applications of adverse drug reaction.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2025Article
- Expert evaluation of mobile health apps for breast cancer management: a feature-based analysis using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS).BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Efficacy of digital educational intervention using I-Change model in promoting preventive behaviors for cervical cancer among Iranian women: A randomized controlled trial.Health promotion perspectives · 2025Article
- Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Mobile App for Breast Cancer Self-Management on Self-Efficacy: Nonrandomized Intervention Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Article
- Acceptability, Effectiveness, and Roles of mHealth Applications in Supporting Cancer Pain Self-Management: Integrative Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Review
- Parents' Perceptions of Their Parenting Journeys and a Mobile App Intervention (Parentbot-A Digital Healthcare Assistant): Qualitative Process Evaluation.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Article
- Evaluating the Usability of an mHealth App for Empowering Cancer Survivors With Disabilities: Heuristic Evaluation and Usability Testing.JMIR human factors · 2024Article
- Artificial intelligence-enabled social media listening to inform early patient-focused drug development: perspectives on approaches and strategies.Frontiers in digital health · 2024Article
- Development of mobile application for cervical cancer screening in women: Protocol of a multi-phase study.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the state of smartphone applications for cancer intended for the general public with a focus on interactive features, content sources, and application developer affiliations. The level of health provider involvement in screening or appraising application content was also assessed.
methodsA total of 123 apps were identified for analysis from two major mobile application marketplaces (Apple iTunes = 40; Google Play = 83). Application characteristics were collected, analyzed, and reported. These included the mobile platform, cost, application developer affiliation, date of last update, purpose of application, content sources, and interactive features.
resultsIn the study sample, 50% of the applications focused on general information for cancer (62/123). Next, this was followed by applications for breast cancer (15%, 19/123) and skin cancer (7%, 8/123). Only 10% of application descriptions (12/123) identified sources for application content. Interactive features included the ability to monitor symptoms, side effects, treatments, and chronic pain (20%, 25/123). Only 3% of the applications (4/123) stated content had been evaluated by health providers.
conclusionsThis study contributes an updated analysis of applications for cancer available in the digital health marketplace. The findings have implications for information quality and supportive resources for cancer care. More transparent information about content sources, organizational affiliations, and level of health provider oversight in screening application content is warranted. Recommendations for improving the quality of cancer applications are also offered.
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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.