TPS12164 Background: Symptoms often fluctuate during an individual’s cancer trajectory, and this can impact patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Two evidence-based approaches—symptom monitoring programs (SMPs) and specialty palliative care (PC)—have independently been shown to improve HRQOL through identification and treatment of cancer-related symptoms, especially among patients with thoracic cancers (i.e. lung cancer). However, PC remains underutilized when patients report uncontrolled symptoms via SMPs. Therefore, we developed SyMPLER, a digital SMP with an integrated option for PC self-referral. The primary aim of this phase 1 clinical trial is to determine the feasibility of SyMPLER among patients newly diagnosed with a thoracic cancer. If feasible for remote symptom reporting, SyMPLER may overcome logistical and attitudinal barriers towards provider-driven PC referral processes for cancer symptom management. Methods: SyMPLER is a prospective single-arm feasibility study of a novel digital health intervention for remote symptom reporting with an optional PC self-referral for cancer symptom management (NCT06396598). SyMPLER includes 5 main components: (1) a brief education about PC, (2) weekly text reminders to encourage symptom logging, (3) on-demand symptom reporting using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System on a mobile health application interface, (4) an active choice option for PC self-referral, and (5) the ability to request a callback from oncology clinicians to discuss symptom concerns. Per the IRB-approved protocol, adults ( > 18 years) with any stage thoracic malignancy, without a prior PC referral, are consented within the first 12 weeks of outpatient oncology care. The primary outcome is frequency of symptom reporting with a feasibility benchmark set at 50% of participants logging symptoms at least monthly over a 6-month intervention period. PC referrals (secondary outcome) and exploratory outcomes, including telephone encounters with the oncology team, HRQOL (Function Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Lung; FACT-L), and patient satisfaction with medical care (FAMCARE-P13) are measured every 3 months for up to 12 months post-enrollment. Study enrollment commenced in February 2024. The target enrollment of 94 evaluable participants was achieved in August 2025. Data collection is ongoing for 23 patients still active on study. Clinical trial information: NCT06396598 .
Agne et al. (Thu,) studied this question.