Patient-oriented oncology: the role of ePRO systems

Patient-oriented oncology: the role of ePRO systems

PRO (patient-reported outcomes) is data on treatment outcomes reported by the patient himself: symptoms, side effects, quality of life and psychological state. They are collected through digital platforms (ePRO) - web services or mobile applications.

Previously, collecting data on quality of life was extremely labor-intensive: paper questionnaires, rare feedback, delays in analysis. But today, digital platforms automate the process, make it continuous and allow the results to be used immediately in clinical practice.

The patient regularly answers questions from standardized questionnaires, such as:

• PRO‑CTCAE — side effects of therapy (nausea, diarrhea, skin reactions);

• EORTC QLQ‑C30—quality of life in cancer patients;

• PROMIS and ESAS‑r—fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression.

A systematic review (Frontiers in Digital Health, August 2025) covered 85 studies and showed:

• ePROs are most often implemented in breast, lung, and colorectal cancer;

• The most popular platforms are PRO‑CTCAE and CHES, as well as eRAPID, Noona, PROMPT‑Care;

• Key features of the systems: symptom monitoring, remote monitoring, two-way patient-doctor communication, integration with electronic medical records.

The effect of implementation:

• earlier detection of complications and correction of therapy,

• reduction in the number of hospitalizations,

• improvement in quality of life,

• in some cases — increased survival.

Thus, ePROs transform the patient's voice into a tool for clinical decision-making and make cancer care truly patient-centered.

Source (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/digital-health/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2025.1560533/full)