Lung cancer patients live an average of five months longer when they actively monitor their symptoms using an app. That is the outcome of a study conducted by Radboud university medical center in collaboration with Amsterdam UMC. The findings also suggest that this approach could improve outcomes for patients with other types of cancer.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with around two million new cases diagnosed each year. Because the disease is often detected at an advanced stage, treatment options are frequently limited. As a result, survival rates remain relatively low, with only about one in four patients still alive five years after diagnosis.
Monitoring symptoms through an app
Researchers at Radboudumc and Amsterdam UMC explored whether lung cancer care could be improved through a simple, accessible intervention. To support this, they developed an app that allows patients to track their symptoms. A total of 249 lung cancer patients used the app for one year. Whenever reported symptoms exceeded a predefined threshold, the app automatically advised patients to contact a healthcare professional.
Five years later, researchers found that patients who used the app survived an average of five months longer than those who did not. ‘For patients with lung cancer, this is a meaningful improvement,’ says Marloes Hassing, PhD candidate at Radboudumc. Notably, the survival benefit is comparable to that achieved with many newly introduced cancer therapies. However, the mechanism behind the effect is entirely different. Rather than targeting the tumor itself, the app helps patients and healthcare professionals identify and address serious symptoms at an earlier stage.
Earlier studies had already shown that patients using the app reported a better quality of life. ‘That alone represented an important advance in lung cancer care,’ says Iris Walraven, principal investigator at Radboudumc. ‘The fact that we are now also seeing a survival benefit makes these findings even more valuable for patients.’
In the photo: principal investigator Iris Walraven and PhD candidate Marloes Hassing.
Earlier intervention improves care
According to the researchers, the improvement in survival is partly explained by faster communication between patients and healthcare professionals when severe symptoms arise. ‘Tracking symptoms increases patients’ awareness of their health status,’ Hassing explains. ‘As a result, they are more likely to recognize symptoms early and report them promptly through the app.’ Annemarie Becker-Commissaris, pulmonologist and principal investigator at Amsterdam UMC, adds: ‘This enabled us to intervene sooner, including between routine appointments. It is precisely this earlier intervention that appears to make a measurable difference for patients.’
Potential beyond lung cancer
The researchers believe that the approach could also benefit patients with other forms of cancer. ‘The app is based on an internationally validated questionnaire that covers common symptoms and treatment-related side effects experienced during and after cancer treatment,’ says Walraven. ‘For lung cancer, we selected the most relevant items from this questionnaire. The same approach can be used to create tailored versions for other cancer types.’ Several studies are currently underway to evaluate the impact of symptom monitoring in patients with other cancers.
Broad support
The positive results have been welcomed by researchers, pulmonologists and patient representatives alike. ‘This addresses a clear need among patients,’ says Lidia Barberio, Managing Director of the Dutch lung cancer patient organization. ‘Many patients wait until their next clinic visit to discuss symptoms, making it difficult to accurately recall what they have experienced. An app allows them to record symptoms immediately and seek help when needed.’ The research team is now working with a group of pulmonologists to incorporate symptom monitoring into clinical guidelines for lung cancer care.
To date, the app has only been used for research purposes and is not yet available to patients with lung cancer.
About the publication
This study was published in The Lancet Oncology: Patient-reported symptom monitoring in patients with lung cancer (SYMPRO-Lung Trial): long-term, post-hoc survival results of a multicentre, stepped-wedged, randomised clinical study. Marloes Hassing, Nicole Billingy, Corina van den Hurk, Michel van den Heuvel, […], Cornelia Verberkt, Annemarie Becker-Commissaris, Iris Walraven. DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00305-0.
Earlier findings from the SYMPRO-Lung trial were published in JAMA Network Open en Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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