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A Digital Therapeutic Application (ePAL) to Manage Pain in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Controlled
Mihir Kamdar1, Kamal Jethwani2, Amanda Jayne Centi3
1Massachusetts General Hospital (M.K., L.T., S.R., C.R., J.S.T., J.A.G., J.K., A.E.J., V.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (M.K., L.T., C.R., J.S.T., J.A.G., J.K., A.E.J., V.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
|June 12, 2024
Summary
A digital therapeutic app (ePAL) significantly reduced cancer pain and hospitalizations in advanced cancer patients. This technology shows promise for improving symptom management and reducing healthcare burdens.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Digital Therapeutics
- Palliative Care
Background:
- Advanced cancer frequently causes severe pain, diminishing patients' quality of life.
- Current interventions for cancer pain are often limited in effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a digital therapeutic app, ePAL, in managing cancer pain.
- To assess the impact of ePAL on pain-related hospitalizations in advanced cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized trial involving 112 advanced cancer patients compared the ePAL app to usual care over eight weeks.
- ePAL incorporated active pain monitoring, AI symptom triage, and patient education.
- Pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory; pain-related hospitalizations were secondary outcomes.
Main Results:
- Patients using ePAL reported significantly lower pain scores at weeks 4 and 8 compared to the usual care group.
- The ePAL group experienced fewer pain-related hospitalizations (7.1%) versus the usual care group (23.2%).
- App utilization averaged 2.1 times per week, with 47.6% reporting pain at least weekly.
Conclusions:
- The digital therapeutic app ePAL effectively reduced patient-reported pain and hospitalizations in advanced cancer.
- Digital therapeutics offer a promising approach to enhance symptom management and decrease healthcare utilization in oncology care.
