Text Message (SMS) to Help Cancer Patients in Chemotherapy Treatment

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study evaluates the text message (SMS) with orientation to help the management of chemotherapy treatment.

Detailed Description
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The investigators developed an app (called ChemotherApp) for Android that automatically sends text messages with homecare orientation to cancer patients in intervention group. The main features of this app are: to register information such as name, number of cellphone, gender, and chemotherapy schedule of the patient. Other feature is to register the orientation that will be sent to patients by text messages. Daily, the app send a registered orientation to each patient.

Official Title
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An Intervention Based on Text Message (SMS) to Help Cancer Patients in Chemotherapy Treatment

Conditions
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Cancer, Side Effect

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Text message intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Cancer patients who will start chemotherapy treatment in Hospital Escola of Federal University of Pelotas. Exclusion Criteria: Illiterate patients; Patients who do not have their own cell phone

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: intervention<br>The patients in this group will receive daily a text message (SMS) with some orientation about Homecare as an attempt to minimize the side effects of chemotherapy. The text messages are based on oncology guidelines.The text messages contain information about water intake, emotional support, hygiene, immunity, nutrition, and physical activity. In addition, text messages about prevention and management of symptoms were also developed: nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, gas, changes in the skin and taste. Also, the patients allocated in this group will receive the standard care. | Behavioral: Text message intervention<br>* The intervention consists in sending text messages with orientation that helps in homecare, specifically attempting to minimize chemotherapy side effects.<br>|
| No Intervention: control<br>The patients allocated in this group will receive the standard care. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from Chemotherapy Side Effects - QLQ-C30 EORTC questionnaire | To measure the side effects, the QLQ-C30 EORTC questionnaire is going to be used. This questionnaire aims to identify if the patient had nausea and vomit, diarrhea, pain, fever, constipation, diarrhea, gas, among other symptoms. It will be investigated if patients who will receive the text message will have less side effects than patients who will not receive text messages. The questionnaire will be applied to each patient in the study at the beginning of the second,third and fourth cycles of chemotherapy. | Up to 4 month | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from Anxiety and Depression - HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) questionnaire | To measure anxiety and depression, the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) questionnaire is going to be used. It will be investigated if patients who will receive the text message will have less score of depression and anxiety than patients who will not receive text messages. The HADS questionnaire is going to be applied to each patient on the first day of treatment and at the beginning of the fourth cycle of chemotherapy. | Up to 4 month |