App May Improve Palliative Care for Adults With Incurable Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2025 (HealthDay News) – A palliative care educational app improves health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at two months among adult patients with incurable cancer, according to a study published online Sept. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Ying Yu, Ph.D., from Fudan University in Shanghai, and colleagues explored whether adding a palliative care educational app to clinical palliative care could enhance HRQoL in homebound patients with incurable cancer. The analysis included 147 adults (Karnofsky Performance Status ≤70) receiving palliative care who had consistent family caregivers.

The researchers found that at month 2, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 summary scores were 51.9 in the intervention group versus 35.7 in the control group. A similar effect was seen among both groups at month 2 in changes to Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores.

“This study provides preliminary information on use of a palliative care educational app featuring fast information delivery and concise content and its effect on patient HRQoL, as well as app usage insights and user feedback after an initial two-month acute period,” the authors write.

The study was funded by the Shanghai Xingchuan Health Technology Co.

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