Features of Cancer mHealth Apps and Evidence for Patient Preferences: Scoping Literature Review

A scoping review searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases to identify studies describing features and functions of mHealth apps for cancer self-management. After screening 522 manuscripts and reviewing 51 full texts, 7 studies published from 2017 to 2021 were included. Studies varied in methodology, from descriptive to experimental, and in size, with subject sizes ranging from 11 to 181. Apps contained 2 to 11 features with a median of 4. The most reported feature was a symptom or side effect tracker, appearing in 6 of 7 studies. Patient education features were reported in 3 studies, and medication trackers in 2. Acceptability was the most frequently reported measure of utility. Two apps incorporated patient and health care provider input during design. Limitations include the absence of quality assessment, restriction to smartphone apps, and a narrow date range. Patient preferences for app features were rarely reported across the included studies.