Digital intervention (Renewed) to support symptom management, wellbeing, and quality of life among cancer survivors in primary care: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Many cancer survivors following primary treatment have prolonged poor quality of life.

Aim: To determine the effectiveness of a bespoke digital intervention to support cancer survivors.

Design And Setting: This was a pragmatic parallel open randomised trial in UK general practices (ISRCTN:96374224).

Method: People having finished primary treatment (≤10 years previously) for colorectal, breast, or prostate cancers, with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) score ≤85, were randomised by online software to: 1) detailed 'generic' digital NHS support ('LiveWell'; = 906); 2) a bespoke complex digital intervention ('Renewed'; = 903) addressing symptom management, physical activity, diet, weight loss, and distress; or 3) 'Renewed with support' ( = 903): 'Renewed' with additional brief email and telephone support.

Results: Mixed linear regression provided estimates of the differences between each intervention group and generic advice. At 6 months all groups improved (primary time point: for the generic, Renewed groups, and Renewed with support were 806, 749, and 705, respectively), with no significant between-group differences for EORTC QLQ-C30, but global health improved more in both the Renewed groups. By 12 months there were small improvements in EORTC QLQ-C30 for Renewed with support (versus generic advice: 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.33 to 2.51); both Renewed groups improved global health (12 months: Renewed: 3.06, 95% CI = 1.39 to 4.74; Renewed with support: 2.78, 95% CI = 1.08 to 4.48), dyspnoea, constipation and enablement, and lower primary care NHS costs (in comparison with generic advice [£265]: Renewed was -£141 [95% CI = -£153 to-£128] and Renewed with Support was -£77 [95% CI = -£90 to -£65]); and for Renewed with support improvement in several other symptom subscales. No harms were identified.

Conclusion: Cancer survivors' quality of life improved with detailed generic online support. Robustly developed bespoke digital support provides limited additional short-term benefit, but additional longer-term improvement in global health, enablement, and symptom management, with substantially lower NHS costs.