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

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.