A Feasibility Trial of a Web Based App Intervention in Hormone Positive Breast Cancer Patients to Improve Adherence to Endocrine Therapy

Overview

This clinical trial looks at the use of an internet-based application (app) intervention in improving adherence to endocrine therapy (ET) among patients with early stage hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer. ET can significantly reduce the return of the cancer in patients who are compliant with their treatment regimen. Despite this, adherence to ET is poor due to side effects, lack of social support and timely access to clinicians, and poor patient understanding of the necessity and effectiveness of the therapy. An internet-based app may help patients improve their adherence to ET by providing reminders, side effect mitigation strategies available in the educational videos and from contacting providers/ nurse on the research team directly via the app.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To assess the feasibility of a web-based app as an intervention to carry out functions such as weekly reminders, improving patient provider communication, improving patient education SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate if high level of adherence to endocrine therapy can be maintained by using our web-based app in early-stage hormone positive breast cancer II. To assess whether the web-based app will improve patient satisfaction, whether patients feel the app helped improve their likelihood of adhering to endocrine therapy by making them feel more confident in their side effect management. OUTLINE: This is a single arm, feasibility study. 30 patients will be enrolled. In addition to standard of care, patients will receive access to the web-based application for the study duration (3 months). The app will have the following features: weekly text reminders to continue ET and prompts to report medication side effects, access to educational content explaining common side effects and symptom management strategies, prompts to patients to review this information when they report side effects, and most importantly, the patient will have access to their breast oncology providers to discuss their side effects and ask questions via the app. A feature unique to our app is the educational content readily available to patients. When a patient reports a side effect, the app will direct them to the relevant video explaining that side effect and going over strategies to mitigate them.