Work

Integrating Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs) into Personalised Follow-up for Patients after Radiotherapy. A Feasibility Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: There is an unmet need in patient monitoring between the end of radiotherapy and the first follow-up appointment during which patients may experience severe side effects. Personalised follow-up has the potential to tailor healthcare to individual needs. ePROMs enable remote monitoring and identification of those needing earlier intervention. Purpose: To assess the feasibility of integrating ePROMs into personalised follow-up of patients after radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Patients with lung or head and neck (HN) cancer were enrolled. ePROMs questionnaires, comprising EQ-5D-5L and 14 lung or 19 HN cancer-specific questions adapted from CTCAE v5.0, were sent to patients at eight timepoints: pre-radiotherapy, mid-radiotherapy, end of radiotherapy, weekly for four weeks post-treatment, and first face-to-face follow-up appointment. Upon completion, automated advice was provided based on responses. Grade 2 or above symptoms were escalated to clinicians. Patient feedback was obtained through structured interviews. Results: Over two months, 19 eligible patients (10 lung, 9 HN) were recruited: 13 received concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and six received radiotherapy alone. ePROMs completion rate was 69.1%, ranging from 47.4% to 89.5% at each timepoint. Three patients reported grade 3 or above symptoms on 5 instances during and after radiotherapy. Fourteen patients participated in the interviews: all 14 reported ePROMs were easy to complete, took an acceptable amount of time, and made them feel better supported. Conclusion: Integrating ePROMs into personalised follow-up is feasible and acceptable to patients. ePROMs provide insights into patients' symptoms during and after radiotherapy, highlighting the need for a tailored approach.

Source: Technical Innovations & Patient Support in Radiation Oncology

DOI: 10.1016/j.tipsro.2025.100333