SMARTphone Based Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in BREAST Cancer Patients (SMART-BREAST): A Randomised Controlled Trial Protocol

Breast cancer survivors are at greater risk for cardiovascular-related mortality compared to women without breast cancer. Accordingly, attention to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease must be a priority in the long-term management of these patients. With the exponential rise in cancer survivors, there is a need for innovative cardio-oncology programs. This paper describes the study design of a randomised controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of a smartphone-based cardiovascular risk reduction program in improving physical activity and cardiovascular health in patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and usability of a smartphone-based model of care for exercise promotion, cardiovascular risk reduction and community engagement in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. This will be achieved by testing our personalised smartphone application “BreastMate”, as an adjunct to standard care in a single-blinded, parallel, randomised controlled trial. The primary outcome of the trial is change in exercise capacity, as measured by the 6-minute walk test distance at 12 months compared to baseline. Secondary endpoints include improvements in cardiovascular risk factor status and quality of life, received dose intensity of chemotherapy and major adverse cardiovascular events. Multicentre ethical approval has been granted by the Austin Hospital (HREC/47081/Austin/2018). The analysed results will be published in a peer reviewed journal on completion of the clinical trial. SMART-BREAST has been prospectively registered with the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR12620000007932).