App helps breast cancer survivors improve health after treatment
Breast cancer survivors who used a smartphone app created at Houston Methodist consistently lost weight, largely due to daily, real-time interactions with their healthcare team via the mobile app. Few clinically-tested mobile apps exist today with clear measurable goals to support continued care of cancer survivors and patients.
There is increasing evidence that reducing obesity also reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and the frequency of hospital readmission. A meta-analysis of 82 studies evaluating the relationship between body weight and breast cancer in more than 213,000 women found a 35% increase in breast cancer mortality.
A Nov. 30 paper in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics focused on the benefits of using the Methodist Hospital Cancer Health Application specifically designed for breast cancer survivors to interact with their clinical dietitian and reinforce healthier lifestyle choices, especially between appointments.
Of the 33 breast cancer survivors enrolled, 25 women actively used the app over a four-week period. During this pilot study, 56% of enrolled patients lost an average of 3.5 pounds. Also, the more the study participants used the app, the more likely they were to lose weight.
Unlike popular consumer health apps, the Houston Methodist app incorporated a clinical dietitian who actively communicated with patients and provided direct feedback and guidance. For example, if a breast cancer survivor logged her daily meals, the nutritionist reviewed it and made comments and suggestions in real time.
Studies show that fewer than 35% of all breast cancer survivors follow recommended levels of physical activity. Stephen T.C. Wong, Ph.D., P.E., chair and professor of the Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering at Houston Methodist Research Institute, and his informatics development team helped create the mobile application as a way for Houston Methodist healthcare providers to actively support their patients after treatment and to provide continued care beyond hospital walls.
Houston Methodist dietician Renee Stubbins said the mobile health app allowed her to interact with more patients in one day than she normally would in person, something she believes can be adapted by other registered dietitians and healthcare providers. Not only did she provide recommendations for diet and exercise, but she also motivated the study participants to provide virtual support to each other.
The app is currently accessible to study patients, but the goal is to widely offer this mobile application on the App Store and Google Play. Houston Methodist will broaden the use of this app in multi-center studies and focus on long-term behavioral changes to reduce health issues most common in cancer survivors. One study will include active breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or other treatment. A second study will include all cancer survivors and monitor exercise, wellness and diet over a 12-week period.
