App-basiertes Lebensstil-Coaching als Begleittherapie und in der Nachsorge bei Patientinnen mit Mammakarzinom

Wolff, Josefine (2025): App-basiertes Lebensstil-Coaching als Begleittherapie und in der Nachsorge bei Patientinnen mit Mammakarzinom. Dissertation, LMU München: Faculty of Medicine

Abstract

In the last decades, modern oncological medicine has evolved into personalized and risk-adapted individualized medicine. This approach has been primarily pursued for pharmacological, surgical, and radiological therapeutic procedures and has become increasingly important in the field of supportive therapy in recent years. Digital support offerings for breast cancer patients enable filling a gap in care, providing an easily accessible, cost-effective, and location-independent option for individuals to cope with the disease, its treatment, and its side effects. Additionally, they offer relief for hospitals and outpatient oncologists and psychologists and help reduce healthcare costs from an economic perspective. In our research on the effectiveness of the first digital health applications (DiGA) for breast cancer patients, we were able to demonstrate that integrating a digital support offering into the clinical routine of German breast centers is feasible. Furthermore, not only did we observe very high adherence to the intervention, but also positive impacts on the psychological distress and resilience of the affected individuals. These results are independent of age, tumor stage, or the type of therapy, indicating that patients do desire digitization in healthcare, even in conditions that generally affect an older demographic. Due to the heterogeneity of breast cancer and the associated complexity of treatment regimens and resulting side effects, it becomes evident that individualization is taking on an increasingly important role. The S3 and AGO guidelines for breast cancer already recommend app-based support offerings for managing side effects and reducing psychological distress. The PINK! Coach App, based on our research, not only became the first definitive DiGA for breast cancer but was also included in the AGO guidelines. This lays the foundation for widespread digital healthcare provision and further research with the PINK! Coach App.

• Item Type: Theses (Dissertation, LMU Munich)
• Keywords: breast cancer, digital health, apps, chemotherapy, DiGA
• Subjects: 600 Technology, Medicine; 600 Technology, Medicine > 610 Medical sciences and medicine
• Faculties: Faculty of Medicine
• Language: German
• Date of oral examination: 9. April 2025
• 1. Referee: Würstlein, Rachel
• Signature of the printed copy: 0700/UMD 22747