SMS Messaging as a Tool to Improve Cancer Screening Programs

NCT ID: NCT04343950

Last Updated: 2025-09-24

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

44601 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-06-05

Study Completion Date

2022-12-31

Brief Summary

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The aim of this project is to assess the impact on health and economics of the implementation of text messaging (SMS) in cancer screening programs. Three interventions with SMS will be evaluated through community trials. In the colorectal cancer screening program the following interventions will be tested: a) Participation reminder: six weeks after sending the invitation letter of the colorectal cancer program if there has not been a response, a reminder SMS will be sent in front of the usual method by letter; b) Reminder to return the fecal occult blood test: SMS reminder of test delivery versus no intervention. This reminder will be sent to the individuals who have gone to the pharmacy to pick up a fecal occult blood test and they have not returned it after 14 days. The impact on participation will be analyzed and, if applicable, the proportion of advanced neoplasms will be calculated by increase in participation. In the breast cancer screening program, the invitation by SMS versus the usual invitation by letter will be studied in women who had participated in the previous screening round. The impact on participation will be analyzed. A cost-effectiveness analysis of the three interventions will be carried out. The incremental cost ratio of the interventions between cost variation and effectiveness variation will be calculated.

Detailed Description

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Main Hypothesis:

The implementation of SMS in population-based cancer screening programs will improve participation, especially in colorectal cancer screening, will allow a better resource management and reduce costs in both programs.

Specific Hypothesis:

Sending the reminder SMS will have an impact on participation greater than that obtained with the standard reminder (letter) in the colorectal cancer screening program.

The effect of the colorectal cancer screening reminder SMS will be greater among the individuals who have been invited for the first time and not previous participants.

Participation after receiving the invitation by SMS in breast cancer screening will be equal to or better than the letter invitation.

The alternative that includes sending SMS will be cost-effective in relation to the current alternative that you use postal shipping.

Conditions

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Mass Screening Colorectal Cancer Breast Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Intervention 1: SMS reminders for colorectal cancer screening compared to reminder letters.

Intervention 2: SMS reminders to return the fecal occult blood test at the pharmacy compared to no intervention.

Intervention 3: Invitation by SMS for women with a prior participation in the breast cancer screening program compared to invitation letter.
Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Invited individuals to the cancer screening programs will not be aware of the different arms of the study.

Study Groups

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Intervention 1: SMS reminders in colorectal cancer screening

SMS reminders will be sent to individuals who received an invitation letter from Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and haven't participated within 6 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

SMS reminders to enhance colorectal cancer screening

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Individual randomization will be used. Individuals assigned to the experimental arm with a wrong phone number will get a reminder letter (protocol analysis).

Usual Care 1: Reminder letter in colorectal cancer screening

Reminder letters will be sent to individuals who received an invitation letter from the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and haven't participated within 6 weeks.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

SMS reminders to enhance colorectal cancer screening

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Individual randomization will be used. Individuals assigned to the experimental arm with a wrong phone number will get a reminder letter (protocol analysis).

Intervention 2: SMS reminders to return the screening test

SMS reminders will be sent to individuals who picked the fecal immunochemical test at the pharmacy and haven't returned it within 14 days.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

SMS reminders to return the fecal immunochemical test at the pharmacy in CRC screening:

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Individual randomization will be used. Individuals with a wrong phone number assigned to the experimental arm will not get any reminder (protocol analysis).

Usual Care 2: No intervention

No reminders will be sent.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

SMS reminders to return the fecal immunochemical test at the pharmacy in CRC screening:

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Individual randomization will be used. Individuals with a wrong phone number assigned to the experimental arm will not get any reminder (protocol analysis).

Intervention 3: SMS invitation among prior participants

Invitation by SMS will be sent to women who previously participated in the Breast Cancer Screening Program.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Invitation by SMS to previous participants in breast cancer screening:

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Individual randomization. Women assigned to the experimental arm and with a wrong phone number will get an invitation letter (protocol analysis).

Usual Care 3: Invitation letter

Letter invitations will be sent.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Invitation by SMS to previous participants in breast cancer screening:

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Individual randomization. Women assigned to the experimental arm and with a wrong phone number will get an invitation letter (protocol analysis).

Interventions

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SMS reminders to enhance colorectal cancer screening

Individual randomization will be used. Individuals assigned to the experimental arm with a wrong phone number will get a reminder letter (protocol analysis).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

SMS reminders to return the fecal immunochemical test at the pharmacy in CRC screening:

Individual randomization will be used. Individuals with a wrong phone number assigned to the experimental arm will not get any reminder (protocol analysis).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Invitation by SMS to previous participants in breast cancer screening:

Individual randomization. Women assigned to the experimental arm and with a wrong phone number will get an invitation letter (protocol analysis).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

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Intervention 1 Intervention 2 Intervention 3

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Eligible individuals for colorectal cancer screening (intervention 1 and 2)
* Eligible women for breast cancer screening (intervention 3)
* Registered at the HealthCare Database (RCA)

Exclusion Criteria

* Individuals without a mobile phone number registered at the RCA
* Opt out from breast cancer screening and/or colorectal cancer screening
Minimum Eligible Age

50 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

69 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Dundee

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Barcelona

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University Rovira i Virgili

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Institut Català d'Oncologia

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Montse Garcia, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Institut Català d'Oncologia

Locations

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Institut Català d'Oncologia

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

Site Status

Countries

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Spain

References

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Vives N, Binefa G, Travier N, Farre A, Panera JA, Casas B, Vidal C, Ibanez-Sanz G, Garcia M; M-TICS research group. Text Messaging Versus Postal Reminders to Improve Participation in a Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2025 Jan 1;13:e64243. doi: 10.2196/64243.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39742454 (View on PubMed)

Vives N, Vidal C, de Guzman EN, Farre A, Panera JA, Binefa G, Garcia M; M-TICS research group. The use of text messages as an alternative invitation method for breast cancer screening: A randomized controlled trial (M-TICS study). PLoS One. 2024 Aug 29;19(8):e0306720. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306720. eCollection 2024.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39208325 (View on PubMed)

Vives N, Travier N, Farre A, Binefa G, Vidal C, Perez Lacasta MJ, Ibanez-Sanz G, Nino de Guzman EP, Panera JA, Garcia M; M-TICS Research Group. Effectiveness and Acceptability of Targeted Text Message Reminders in Colorectal Cancer Screening: Randomized Controlled Trial (M-TICS Study). JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024 Jul 31;10:e57959. doi: 10.2196/57959.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39083331 (View on PubMed)

Vives N, Farre A, Ibanez-Sanz G, Vidal C, Binefa G, Mila N, Perez-Lacasta MJ, Travier N, Benito L, Espinas JA, Bagaria G, Garcia M. Text messaging as a tool to improve cancer screening programs (M-TICS Study): A randomized controlled trial protocol. PLoS One. 2021 Jan 22;16(1):e0245806. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245806. eCollection 2021.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33481914 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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PI19/00226

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

ICO_UCC_202001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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