Follow-up Application for Self-reporting of Clinical Symptoms in Lung Cancer

Background: Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer worldwide. There have been 1.8 million new lung cancer diagnoses in 2012 in the world. Despite developments in all kinds of cancer therapy methods, lung cancer stays a destructive disease. After performing initial therapy, patients should continue steadily to see their healthcare team and they require a personalized follow-up plan. Sometimes visit the specialist for following-up is expensive and time-consuming, so applying follow-up application on the patients mobile phone can have the substantial impact on improving lung cancer survival. Objectives: In this study, there is an effort to present follow-up application to self-report symptoms of lung cancer. Methods: This study is performed with the overview form by the use of library style and the advanced internet search of the scientific article in the database like PUBMED, MAGIRAN, SCIENCE DIRECT and SCOPUS that their full text is accessible. Results: In this process, the patients by using convenient and simple online application to personalized follow-up can self-assess and self-report symptoms. An algorithm in this application assesses the symptoms and sends results to the oncologist. The program analyzes certain changes in symptoms and activates email alerts for the physician, who would then verify the necessity of exams to adjust cancer treatment.The results of a clinical trial in France have shown that the use of this application improved the quality of life in lung cancer patient. The median overall survival was 19 months for patients who applied the application but that was 12 months for individuals who obtained typical follow-up care. Conclusions: As studies show, using this method cause early detection of symptomatic changes and complications over time so offering appropriate early care can be given by health care team. This approach introduces a new era of follow-up in which patients can give and receive continuous feedback between visits to their oncologist. This method because of its effect on survivability is recommended due to the benefits.