Patient Education About Targeted Treatments Using Smartphone Apps

Physicians and software developers at many centers worldwide have begun developing applications asking whether smartphones can teach patients complex cancer treatments. Our team is also developing such a project. Today's article discusses a new study showing how apps contribute to learning in breast cancer patients receiving targeted molecular therapy.

Explaining targeted, or smart, chemotherapies often challenges healthcare professionals. Suitable patients, schedules, benefits, side effects and mechanisms must be explained separately. Standards for which professional should provide education and how do not yet exist. Visual brochure education has proved more effective, suggesting visually rich smartphone apps could explain targeted treatments well.

Researchers developed apps for 3 drugs, totaling 3 applications: tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors and trastuzumab (Herceptin). Each contained captioned animations of drug action. A healthcare worker showed animations and explained the information verbally. Each patient then received 2 questions to assess understanding. All 64 answered correctly.

In conclusion, even complex mechanisms are understood easily when explained appropriately. These fast, easy-to-use, readily available applications compatible with many devices provide effective education and counseling, a method patients accept.