Cancer: Symptom Diary Improves Quality of Life

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

Virtual diary for cancer patients: the smartphone app “mika” records the symptoms and general well-being of those affected daily during therapy - with an amazing effect.

"How did you sleep last night? Are you pain free today? Is your digestion okay? ”Eight questions like these pop up when you start the mika app on your smartphone. If the patient has pain or other complaints, the app asks more specific questions - the person concerned then states how severe the symptoms are.

Diary for cancer patients

The app is intended for cancer patients as a therapy companion. The Charité Berlin developed the digital diary in cooperation with the Leipzig University Hospital. The regular recording of symptoms and the state of health has astonishing effects on the quality of life and even the survival of the patient.

The basis for the development of the app is a study by oncologist Prof. Ethan Basch and his colleagues from the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in the USA. She examined the effect of self-tracking on the course of therapy.

The US scientists followed 766 cancer patients during their chemotherapy. These included patients with lung or breast cancer and cancers of the genitourinary system. These include prostate, bladder, kidney, ovarian and uterine cancer.

441 patients recorded the symptoms and their daily well-being in a program, similar to what is now done with the mika online diary. 325 people were treated as usual without self-tracking. They served as a control group.

Those who track live better - and longer

After six months, a third of the patients in the study group said their quality of life had improved. In the control group it was only 18 percent. In addition, the people in the study group had to go to hospital or the emergency room less often because of complications.

Even the survival rate was higher for those who recorded their symptoms every day: after a year on therapy, three quarters of the patients were still alive. In the control group there were significantly fewer at 69 percent.

Better communication between doctor and patient

The researchers suspect that the diary would lead to more dialogue between doctors and patients - the exchange of information about symptoms would improve. If the patient's condition worsens, doctors may react more quickly and adjust therapy.

In addition, the app supports the patient in many other matters relating to the disease - from the right body care for cancer patients to stopping unwanted weight loss. "Mika ensures that patients do not feel left alone with daily questions about their illness."

480,000 times cancer

In Germany, around 480,000 people develop cancer every year, and the trend is rising. Breast cancer is the most common form of disease in women, accounting for a third of all cases. The prostate is most commonly affected in men: 23 percent of male cancer patients suffer from prostate cancer.

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