‘It saved my life’: New app helping cancer patients manage treatment at home shows promising results

Getting cancer treatment can be scary and isolating, but a new online tool for chemo patients is being called a game-changer.

A new online tool designed to help cancer patients manage their chemotherapy symptoms from home is being called a game-changer by both patients and health-care providers in the Lower Mainland.

The RESPONSe program was launched last year at Richmond Hospital. It allows patients undergoing chemotherapy to report their symptoms through an app or website.

The information is monitored by nurses and doctors, who can then respond quickly to offer guidance, suggest medications, or recommend when patients should seek emergency care.

Dr. Jeremy Ho, who leads the RESPONSe program, says it’s helping to catch complications early.

“We’re asking patients how they’re doing after treatment and then trying to catch symptoms early so that we can hopefully prevent them from becoming serious,” said Ho.

For cancer patient Sydney Cuthill, the tool has made a real difference.

“I had every side effect you could get, from thrashed hives to loss of appetite, and this program was a huge game-changer for me,” she said. “It’s like having a nurse in your pocket.”

Another patient, Katherine Lecy, credits the app with potentially saving her life, after she fell seriously ill while on vacation.

“I launched the app to describe my symptoms, and I was running a fever of 103 or 104 (degrees Fahrenheit), and the app actually just said go to emergency,” Lecy said. “It saved my life.”

Since its launch, the program has enrolled about 150 patients, resulting in more than 700 symptom management calls from nurses. Ho says the system is not only improving patient care but also reducing strain on the health-care system by preventing unnecessary emergency room visits.

“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” Ho said.

It’s unclear if this program will be expanded beyond Richmond Hospital.

The Ministry of Health told CTV News via statement that it “is committed to improving cancer care in the province.”

“We are pleased to hear the success of the RESPONSe home monitoring program. We will continue to explore advances in technological innovation like this initiative.”

The RESPONSe project was funded by $300,000 in grants from several donors, including the B.C. Ministry of Health Innovation Fund, the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute Team Grant Award, the Richmond Hospital Foundation, and the BC Community Oncology Trialists.