Digital supportive care in prostate cancer: a systematic review.
6 affiliations
- 1Flinders University, Caring Futures Institute, Sports Road, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia. [email protected].
- 2Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Port Road, Adelaide, Australia. [email protected].
- 3Cancer Council South Australia, 202 Greenhill Road, Adelaide, Australia.
- 4College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
- 5University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Bruce, Australia.
- 6Flinders University, Caring Futures Institute, Sports Road, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia.
Abstract
Purpose
To map and synthesise the existing evidence on people's perspectives and requirements for patient-facing digital health technologies for use in prostate cancer care delivery. Understanding the preferences of people with prostate cancer and understanding the barriers and facilitators to maximising engagement with digital supportive care healthcare landscape.Methods
Four electronic databases were searched to identify suitable studies. All identified citations were imported into Covidence systematic review software for the removal of duplicate records and the study selection process by two reviewers. Methodological quality was appraised using the MMAT, and findings were synthesised narratively using the Human, Organisation, and Technology-fit (HOT-fit) evaluation framework.Results
Eighty-eight studies were included and represented a total of 29,256 participants affected by prostate cancer. Preferences for digital supportive care emerged across four interconnected domains: (1) mode of delivery, (2) type of content desired, (3) factors enabling engagement, and (4) barriers limiting use. Overall, there was willingness to engage with digital models due to their convenience, flexibility, and immediacy of access. Self-management was enhanced via decision aids, symptom management tools, informational resources, and evidence-based tools to support aspects of psychosocial functioning and emotional wellbeing, physical activity, and sexual health. Several barriers to the implementation and uptake of digital supportive care interventions were identified primarily relating to technology access, device compatibility, digital literacy, and emotional readiness.Conclusions
Digital models in prostate cancer care were acceptable and valued for their convenience, flexibility, immediacy of access, tailored content, clinician support, and interactive features, and facilitated self-management through decision-making, symptom management, and informational and psychosocial support. Interpreted through the HOT-fit framework, their value depended on the fit between the technology, its users, and the care setting rather than on technological sophistication alone. Limited attention has been given to digital sexual wellbeing support, and further research is needed on engagement among people with low digital literacy, non-English speakers, and lower-income populations, and on the long-term sustainability of digital models.
Related
- Digital Health Supportive Care Interventions for Breast Cancer Survivors: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
- Clinical Evidence of Orally Administered Herbal Preparations for Supportive Cancer Care: A PRISMA Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials (1990–2026)
- Explainable artificial intelligence in prostate and bladder cancer: A review of imaging, digital pathology, molecular profiling, and clinical data.
- Prospective Clinical Evidence on Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Augmented and Mixed Reality in Robot-Assisted Prostate and Kidney Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review.
- Use of digital technologies to deliver supportive care to adolescents and young adults following treatment for cancer
BibTeX
@article{paterson2026digital,
title = {{Digital supportive care in prostate cancer: a systematic review.}},
author = {C Paterson and D Coro and J N Morris and M R Turner and N Perrotta and M Godfrey and A Robertson and J Christina},
journal = {Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s00520-026-11192-x},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42891837},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Digital supportive care in prostate cancer: a systematic review.
AU - C Paterson
AU - D Coro
AU - J N Morris
AU - M R Turner
AU - N Perrotta
AU - M Godfrey
AU - A Robertson
AU - J Christina
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/17
JO - Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
DO - 10.1007/s00520-026-11192-x
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42891837
AB - Purpose To map and synthesise the existing evidence on people's perspectives and requirements for patient-facing digital health technologies for use in prostate cancer care delivery. Understanding the preferences of people with prostate cancer and understanding the barriers and facilitators to maximising engagement with digital supportive care healthcare landscape.Methods Four electronic databases were searched to identify suitable studies. All identified citations were imported into Covidence systematic review software for the removal of duplicate records and the study selection process by two reviewers. Methodological quality was appraised using the MMAT, and findings were synthesised narratively using the Human, Organisation, and Technology-fit (HOT-fit) evaluation framework.Results Eighty-eight studies were included and represented a total of 29,256 participants affected by prostate cancer. Preferences for digital supportive care emerged across four interconnected domains: (1) mode of delivery, (2) type of content desired, (3) factors enabling engagement, and (4) barriers limiting use. Overall, there was willingness to engage with digital models due to their convenience, flexibility, and immediacy of access. Self-management was enhanced via decision aids, symptom management tools, informational resources, and evidence-based tools to support aspects of psychosocial functioning and emotional wellbeing, physical activity, and sexual health. Several barriers to the implementation and uptake of digital supportive care interventions were identified primarily relating to technology access, device compatibility, digital literacy, and emotional readiness.Conclusions Digital models in prostate cancer care were acceptable and valued for their convenience, flexibility, immediacy of access, tailored content, clinician support, and interactive features, and facilitated self-management through decision-making, symptom management, and informational and psychosocial support. Interpreted through the HOT-fit framework, their value depended on the fit between the technology, its users, and the care setting rather than on technological sophistication alone. Limited attention has been given to digital sexual wellbeing support, and further research is needed on engagement among people with low digital literacy, non-English speakers, and lower-income populations, and on the long-term sustainability of digital models.
SN - 0941-4355
SN - 1433-7339
ER -