Digital Project to Enhance Early Breast Cancer Care in Leeds

New initiative aims to improve patient monitoring and treatment outcomes

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has received funding exceeding £46,000 from Breast Cancer Support to develop a digital health project focused on early stage breast cancer care. The project centres on the use of electronic Patient Reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs), which are digital questionnaires designed to capture patients’ self-reported health status, including symptoms, treatment side effects, and quality of life.

Project objectives and leadership

The funding will support the development and implementation of ePROMs within the Trust’s breast cancer services. These tools aim to enhance patient-centred care by providing clinicians with timely and detailed information directly from patients, improving monitoring and clinical decision-making.

Professor Galina Velikova, Consultant in Medical Oncology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, will lead the project. The focus will be on patients receiving newly approved adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitor treatments. This therapy involves targeted drugs added to hormone therapy after surgery for patients with high-risk, early-stage hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative breast cancer. The goal of the treatment is to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

Significance of ePROMs in breast cancer care

• ePROMs allow patients to report their symptoms and side effects in real time.
• They provide healthcare professionals with valuable data to tailor treatments and manage side effects more effectively.
• Improved communication between patients and clinicians can lead to better overall quality of life during and after treatment.

This project represents a step forward in integrating digital technology into cancer care pathways, aiming to support both patients and healthcare providers in managing complex treatment regimens.

Source: Leeds Hospitals Charity