Mitigating Toxicity by Electronic Health Portal-mediated Interactive Monitoring of Patient-reported Side Effects

Mitigating Toxicity of (Neo)Adjuvant Chemotherapy by Applying Electronic Health Portal-mediated Interactive Monitoring of Patient-reported Side Effects: the Prospective Randomized eChemoCoach Trial

Chemotherapy induces side effects varying in severity, impacting patients' quality of life and necessitating unplanned hospital care. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) could aid in early detection and management of side effects. However, existing PRO monitoring lacks triage capabilities, leading to clinician involvement and suboptimal symptom management. The investigators propose eChemoCoach, an electronic questionnaire integrated into the electronic health portal, offering real-time symptom assessment and personalized advice based on CTCAE criteria. Our study aims to assess the impact of eChemoCoach on non-hematological CTCAE ≥ 3 graded side effects in early breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. This is a randomized controlled trial involving 746 patients that will evaluate the eChemoCoach's efficacy compared to standard monitoring. Phase one will validate questionnaires and assess usability, while phase two focuses on the primary outcome. Te investigators anticipate reduced severe side effects, thereby enhancing patients' quality of life, reducing stress, and minimizing hospital visits.

Problem description: The aim of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy is to increase survival. Therefore, treatment adherence is important. However, patients may experience treatment-related side-effects. In current practice, clinicians evaluate toxicity just a few days before the next chemotherapy is scheduled. Monitoring and timely anticipation of chemotherapy related side-effects may prevent escalation of toxicity, increase treatment adherence and reduce the decline in quality of life. Evaluating toxicity more frequently and on-demand could be a solution to reduce severe toxicity. Therefore, patients should receive a direct advice when experiencing side-effects. However, without interference of a health care professional, this is not possible in standard care.

Solution / research direction: There is increasing evidence that incorporating patient reported outcomes (PROs) in clinical care enhances symptom monitoring in cancer patients. Therefore, it is desirable to develop and investigate an electronic smart-phrased side-effects questionnaire which: 1) delivers a real-time personalized advice to the patient, based on CTCAE grading, after the questionnaire is completed and 2) is accessible for patients using an electronic health portal (EHP) of the electronic health record (EHR) to integrate the PRO data into the EHR.

Aim / hypothesis: To investigate the effect of adding weekly EHP-mediated monitoring of chemotherapy related side-effects based on CTCAE grading using smart-phrased electronic PRO side-effects questionnaires to standard of care monitoring of side-effects, on the occurrence of CTCAE >= grade 3 toxicity.

Plan of investigation: To conduct a pilot study to validate the smart-phrased ePRO side-effects questionnaire. Thereafter, a multicenter clinical randomized trial will start where patients with breast cancer qualifying for (neo)adjuvant chemo(immune)therapy will be randomized to real-time EHP-mediated monitoring of side-effects using a novel smart-phrased ePRO side-effects questionnaire in addition to standard of care monitoring, or to standard of care monitoring solely. Primary objective is the overall rate of CTC grade >=3 non hematological toxicity between both arms. Secondary objectives include relative dose intensity, health-related quality of life, experienced distress, the number of unplanned health care usage and costs.

Expected outcome: The investigators hypothesize that adding weekly EHP-mediated monitoring of side-effects using ePRO side-effects questionnaires will significantly lower the occurrence rate of CTCAE grade >=3 non-hematological toxicities.

Inclusion Criteria:

• - Starting (neo)adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy for breast cancer according to one of the below mentioned treatment protocols:

  • Four cycles of doxorubicin 60mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600mg/m2 (AC) dose dense q 2 weeks, followed by twelve cycles of weekly paclitaxel 80mg/m2 (also in combination with carboplatin AUC6 q 3 weeks)
  • Nine cycles q 3 weeks of paclitaxel 80mg/m2 on day 1 and 8, carboplatin AUC 3 on day 1 and 8, trastuzumab 8mg/kg loading dose (followed by doses of 6mg/m2 at subsequent cycles) on day1 and pertuzumab loading dose of 840mg (followed by doses of 420mg at subsequent cycles) on day 1

• Age ≥ 18 years

• WHO PS ≤1

• Capable of using the EHP or get help in case of low (e-)health literacy. This includes being capable of login using DigiD, a system used by the Dutch government to verify the identity of a person

• Being able to read or get help from a relative in case of illiteracy

Exclusion Criteria:

• - Participation in a trial with an investigational product (because more frequent and structured symptom reporting is performed in these studies).
• Patients who have been treated with chemotherapy in the past (since these patients are at higher risk for developing side effects of current chemotherapy).
• Patients that already started with their chemotherapy cycle