Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Purpose
Nonadherence to aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for breast cancer is common and increases the risk of recurrence. Text messaging increases adherence to medications for chronic conditions.Methods
We conducted a randomized clinical trial of text messaging (TM) versus no text messaging (No-TM) at 40 sites in the United States. Eligible patients were postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer taking an AI for > 30 days with a planned duration of ≥ 36 months. Test messages were sent twice a week over 36 months. Content themes focused on overcoming barriers to medication adherence and included cues to action, statements related to medication efficacy, and reinforcements of the recommendation to take AIs. Both groups were assessed every 3 months. The primary outcome was time to adherence failure (AF), where AF was defined as urine AI metabolite assay results satisfying one of the following: < 10 ng/mL, undetectable, or no submitted specimen. A stratified log-rank test was conducted. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed.Results
In total, 724 patients were registered between May 2012 and September 2013, among whom,702 patients (348 in the text-messaging arm and 354 in the no-text-messaging arm) were eligible at baseline. Observed adherence at 36 months was 55.5% for TM and 55.4% for No-TM. The primary analysis showed no difference in time to AF by arm (3-year AF: 81.9% TM v 85.6% No-TM; HR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.76 to 1.05]; P = .18). Multiple time to AF sensitivity analyses showed similar nonsignificant results. Three-year self-reported time to AF (10.4% v 10.3%; HR, 1.16 [95% CI, 0.69 to 1.98]; P = .57) and site-reported time to AF (21.9% v 18.9%; HR, 1.31 [95% CI, 0.86 to 2.01]; P = .21) also did not differ by arm.Conclusion
To our knowledge, this was the first large, long-term, randomized trial of an intervention directed at improving AI adherence. We found high rates of AI AF. Twice-weekly text reminders did not improve adherence to AIs. Improving long-term adherence will likely require personalized and sustained behavioral interventions.
SUBMITTER: Hershman DL
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7325363 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Hershman Dawn L DL Unger Joseph M JM Hillyer Grace Clarke GC Moseley Anna A Arnold Kathryn B KB Dakhil Shaker R SR Esparaz Benjamin T BT Kuan Ming C MC Graham Mark L ML Lackowski Douglas M DM Edenfield William J WJ Dayao Zoneddy R ZR Henry N Lynn NL Gralow Julie R JR Ramsey Scott D SD Neugut Alfred I AI
Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 20200505 19
<h4>Purpose</h4>Nonadherence to aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for breast cancer is common and increases the risk of recurrence. Text messaging increases adherence to medications for chronic conditions.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a randomized clinical trial of text messaging (TM) versus no text messaging (No-TM) at 40 sites in the United States. Eligible patients were postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer taking an AI for > 30 days with a planned duration of ≥ 36 months. Test messages ...[more]