An interview with: Wing-Lok Chan MBBS, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China CHICAGO, USA—Patients with advanced cancer had their quality of life preserved and required fewer hospitalizations when they monitored themselves digitally by using the SUPPORT+ mobile phone app prompting better self-management while giving regular access to guidance from a nurse. This was in a randomized controlled study reported to the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology by Wing-Lok Chan MBBS, from the Department of Clinical Oncology at the University of Hong Kong, in China. She talked about the findings with Peter Goodwin:
Patients with Advanced Cancer Using The SUPPORT+ Mobile Phone App With Nurse Supervision have Better Quality of Life and Fewer Hospitalizations
An interview with:
Wing-Lok Chan MBBS, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
CHICAGO, USA—Patients with advanced cancer had their quality of life preserved and required fewer hospitalizations when they monitored themselves digitally by using the SUPPORT+mobile phone app prompting better self-management while giving regular access to guidance from a nurse.This was in a randomized controlled study reported to the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology by Wing-Lok Chan MBBS, from the Department of Clinical Oncology at the University of Hong Kong, in China. She talked about the findings with Peter Goodwin:
AUDIO JOURNAL OR ONOLOGY; Wing-Lok Chan MBBS
IN:[GOODWIN]”I am at the American ….
OUT:……. I’m Peter Goodwin.”9:23 secs
ASCO 2026 Abstract LBA12998:l
SUPPORT+ digital self management and clinical support for advanced cancer: A randomized controlled trial.
Background:
Patients with advanced cancer often experience distressing symptoms that impair HRQoL and lead to emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Digital symptom monitoring tools enable earlier detection of symptoms, yet evidence in palliative care remains limited. This study evaluated whether SUPPORT+, a mobile app incorporating weekly symptom reporting using the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS), automated self-management guidance, and nurse follow up for severe symptoms, improves outcomes when added to usual care for community dwelling patients with advanced cancer.
Methods:
A multi-centre RCT was conducted across 6 palliative care clinics in Hong Kong (Jan 2023–Feb 2025). Patients with advanced cancers no longer receiving systemic treatment were randomized 1:1 to SUPPORT+ or usual care for 18 weeks. The primary outcome was change in HRQoL (EQ 5D 5L). Secondary outcomes included ECOG PS, ED visits, and hospitalizations.
Results:
A total of 633 patients were enrolled (315 intervention; 318 control), median age 79 (range 31–103), with 47.4% male. HRQoL was better maintained in SUPPORT+: EQ 5D 5L index declined from 0.59 at baseline to 0.52 at week 18 vs. 0.62 to 0.37 in usual care (mean difference −0.18; p<0.001). EQ VAS remained more stable (68.7 to 65.8 vs. 68.9 to 59.5; mean difference −6.54, p<0.001). ECOG PS deterioration was less common (12.4% vs. 18.9%; p=0.016). ED visits were similar. Hospitalization outcomes favoured SUPPORT+, with more reductions in admissions and shorter lengths of stay (both p≤0.001).
Conclusions:
SUPPORT+ maintained HRQoL, preserved PS, and reduced hospitalizations in advanced cancer. Digital symptom monitoring with automated self management and timely healthcare support is a promising strategy to strengthen community based supportive care.
Proportion of patients in the SUPPORT+ arm and control (usual care) arm with changes in HRQoL, self-efficacy, emergency department visit, hospitalization episodes and duration.
J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 17; abstr LBA12008)
References
- J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 17; abstr LBA12008)