Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38864924›Full record

SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2024

Effectiveness of mHealth apps on adherence and symptoms to oral anticancer medications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Suet May Chow, Bee Kim Tan

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Feasibility and preliminary effects of mhealth supportive care interventions in adults with myeloid neoplasms: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Observational
  3. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Suet May ChowSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Bee Kim TanSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. beekim.tan@taylors.edu.my.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3380-3072

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDespite the rapid expansion of mHealth apps, their adoption has not always been based on evidence of effectiveness on patient outcomes. This systematic review aimed to determine the effect of mHealth apps on adherence and symptom to oral anticancer medications (OAMs) and identify the app design that led to such effects.

methodsPubmed, Cochrane Central, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and WoS were searched from inception to April 2023. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated effects of mHealth apps on primary outcomes OAM adherence and symptom burden were included. Two reviewers independently assessed risk-of-bias using Cochrane Risk-of-Bias version 2 and extracted the data. Quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023406024).

resultsFour RCTs involving 806 patients with cancer met the eligibility criteria. mHealth apps features included a combinations of symptom reporting, medication reminder, automated alert to care team, OAM and side effect information, one study implemented structured follow-up by a nurse. The intervention group showed no significant difference in OAM adherence (relative ratio 1.20; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.43), but significantly improved symptoms to OAMs with a lower standardised mean symptom burden score of 0.49 (SMD - 0.49; 95% CI - 0.93 to - 0.06), and a 25% lower risk of grade 3 or 4 toxicity (risk ratio 0.75; 95% CI 0.58 to 0.95) compared to usual care.

conclusionThese findings suggest a potential role for mHealth app in managing OAM side effect. Further research should explore the role of AI-guided algorithmic pathways on the interactive features of mHealth apps.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsMedication AdherenceMobile ApplicationsNeoplasmsTelemedicineAdministration, OralHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAntineoplastic AgentsCancerMedication adherencemHealth appOral anticancer medicationsSymptomSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID38864924

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.