Abstract 7365: Use of wearable technology for physical activity and health monitoring in individuals diangnosed with cancer
Authors: Gillian Gresham, Cami N. Christopher, Rikuta Hamaya, Aditi Hazra, JoAnn E. Manson, Howard D. Sesso
Journal: Cancer Research (2025)

Abstract Background: Wearable devices provide an opportunity to remotely collect objective data on a patient’s physical activity (PA) and sleep patterns, blood pressure (BP), blood glucose, and other health-related metrics. To date, the prevalence of use and role of wearable devices in older adults diagnosed with cancer remains unclear. We sought to evaluate patterns and characteristics associated with wearable device use. Methods: A cross-sectional survey on wearable device use was nested within the COSMOS trial, a completed randomized trial of cocoa extract and multivitamin supplementation among U.S. older adults that began in 2015. A 2023 follow-up survey included questions about the usage and frequency of use of any wearable device (activity tracker, BP monitor, or glucose monitor), and willingness to share data for future research. We included participants who completed the 2023 survey and had a self-reported history of cancer diagnosis at baseline, except for non-melanoma skin cancers and compared survey responses to individuals who did not report a history of cancer. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess characteristics associated with wearable device usage adjusted for age, sex, race, income, body mass index (BMI), PA level, and diet quality. Results: Of the 18, 552 COSMOS participants with 2023 survey data, 3, 045 reported a cancer history, 62% were female with a median age 73 years (interquartile range=8.3). There were 780 (26%), 1161 (38%), and 60 (2%) participants with a cancer history reporting usage of an activity tracker, BP monitor, or glucose monitor, respectively. Activity tracker usage was lower in those with vs without a cancer history (n=15, 507) (26% vs 29%, p=0.0003), while BP monitor usage was higher (38% vs 36%, p=0.023). Among those with a cancer history and reporting any wearable device usage, 78% used activity trackers, 19% used BP monitors, and 66% used glucose monitors most or all of the time. The percentage of individuals willing to share their data was higher for those with a history of cancer compared to those without, for all devices, with statistically significant differences for activity trackers (84% vs. 81%, p=0.02). In multivariable logistic regression, age (Odds ratio (OR): 1.04 per 1-year decrease), female sex (OR: 1.55), higher income (OR: 2.03), BMI (OR: 1.02), and PA level (OR: 1.07) were each statistically significantly (p&amp;lt;0.05) associated with increased odds of activity tracker use. BMI also was significantly associated with use of BP and glucose monitors (p&amp;lt;0.05). Conclusions: Older adults with a history of cancer have a high prevalence of wearable device usage, and are willing to share their data for research purposes. This highlights the potential to leverage existing trials to recruit participants in future studies involving wearables and collect valuable insights on their daily activity and biometric data. Citation Format: Gillian Gresham, Cami N. Christopher, Rikuta Hamaya, Aditi Hazra, JoAnn E. Manson, Howard D. Sesso. Use of wearable technology for physical activity and health monitoring in individuals diangnosed with cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 7365.