This study demonstrates that the technology for monitoring patients' symptoms worked well. The patients felt secure in the knowledge that their symptoms were being closely monitored and that they were participating effectively in their own care management.
Colorectal cancer is a major health problem in developed countries, accounting for a significant proportion of deaths in the population. Advances in chemotherapy treatment have led to therapy being delivered in the home-setting, which presents challenges in ensuring that treatment-related side-effects are detected and reported to clinical staff in an appropriate time-frame. A telemedicine system has been developed using a mobile-phone platform to allow patients to complete symptom diaries which trigger alerts paged to their nurse in the event of severe side-effects. Six patients used this system for two cycles of oral chemotherapy. Two cases of moderate symptoms deteriorating to more severe conditions were observed, and individual self-care and treatment advice were presented to these patients.
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