Feasibility and Acceptability of Remote Symptom Monitoring and Wearable Activity Monitoring in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment-related symptoms and toxicities are common in Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) patients undergoing chemoradiation (CRT). This underscores the importance of timely interventions and effective symptom and toxicity monitoring strategies to mitigate complications and improve quality of life (QoL). Traditional clinician and care team assessments often underreport patient symptoms, leading to urgent care and emergency room admissions, referred to as health care utilization (HCU). In contrast, electronically captured patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) are associated with improved survival, better health-related QoL, and lower HCU. Wearable activity monitors (WAMs) offer an additional method for continuous monitoring, enabling clinicians to detect symptoms and toxicities more efficiently and respond rapidly to patient needs.

METHODS: 12 HNC patients were assessed with ePROs and WAMs during CRT.

RESULTS: HNC patients undergoing CRT are receptive to ePRO and WAM-based monitoring.

CONCLUSIONS: HNC patients are receptive to participating in ePROs and WAM studies.