Increasing Accessibility of Available Resources Through Mobile Application on Smartphone for Lymphedema Patients

Background: Even though breast cancer has a very high 5-year survival rate at early stages, around half of those survivors will have a lifetime threat to develop breast cancer-related lymphedema (LE). Lack of awareness is often a barrier to early detection and prevention. Once LE passes the early stage, it is more difficult to control and manage. Objective/Purpose: Our objective was to develop a mobile application on smartphone for LE patients or patients at-risk to acquire up-to-date LE research knowledge and search for available therapists. Methods: We first collected different types of LE-related data, such as patient data, literature data, as well as geographical data of LE therapists. After data collection, we applied data mining algorithms, text mining algorithms, and GIS cross-mapping techniques in order to build a mobile application on smartphone for LE patients. Results: Patients are able to download and install this application on their smartphones and search for up-to-date LE research results based on their own characteristics. In addition, patients could identify the nearest LE therapists based on either their current locations or patient-defined locations. Discussion/Conclusion: This mobile application could increase patients' accessibility to the latest LE knowledge and available LE therapists. In addition, this application could be applicable to other chronic diseases. Having such an application on smartphones, patients could connect with their providers more easily and conveniently.