SMS Messaging as a Tool to Improve Cancer Screening Programs
M-TICS
Implementation of Text Messaging (SMS) as an Improvement Tool in Population-based Cancer Screening Programs
2 other identifiers
interventional
44,601
1 country
1
Brief Summary
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.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Jun 2021
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
April 9, 2020
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
April 14, 2020
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
June 5, 2021
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
October 31, 2022
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 31, 2022
CompletedSeptember 24, 2025
September 1, 2025
1.4 years
April 9, 2020
September 18, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (3)
Intervention 1: Participation in colorectal cancer screening program
Participation (no/yes) will be gathered prospectively 18 weeks after sending the screening invitation letter (week 0).
18 weeks
Intervention 2: Participation in colorectal cancer screening program among individuals who pick the test at the pharmacy
Participation (no/yes) among those individuals who pick the screening test for colorectal cancer at the pharmacy 18 weeks after sending the screening invitation letter (week 0).
18 weeks
Intervention 3: Participation in breast cancer screening program
Participation (no/yes) will be gathered prospectively 8 weeks after sending the screening invitation letter (week 0).
8 weeks
Secondary Outcomes (1)
Incremental cost ratio
18 weeks
Study Arms (6)
Intervention 1: SMS reminders in colorectal cancer screening
EXPERIMENTALSMS reminders will be sent to individuals who received an invitation letter from Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and haven't participated within 6 weeks.
Usual Care 1: Reminder letter in colorectal cancer screening
ACTIVE COMPARATORReminder letters will be sent to individuals who received an invitation letter from the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and haven't participated within 6 weeks.
Intervention 2: SMS reminders to return the screening test
EXPERIMENTALSMS reminders will be sent to individuals who picked the fecal immunochemical test at the pharmacy and haven't returned it within 14 days.
Usual Care 2: No intervention
ACTIVE COMPARATORNo reminders will be sent.
Intervention 3: SMS invitation among prior participants
EXPERIMENTALInvitation by SMS will be sent to women who previously participated in the Breast Cancer Screening Program.
Usual Care 3: Invitation letter
ACTIVE COMPARATORLetter invitations will be sent.
Interventions
Individual randomization will be used. Individuals assigned to the experimental arm with a wrong phone number will get a reminder letter (protocol analysis).
Individual randomization will be used. Individuals with a wrong phone number assigned to the experimental arm will not get any reminder (protocol analysis).
Individual randomization. Women assigned to the experimental arm and with a wrong phone number will get an invitation letter (protocol analysis).
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Eligible individuals for colorectal cancer screening (intervention 1 and 2)
- Eligible women for breast cancer screening (intervention 3)
- Registered at the HealthCare Database (RCA)
You may not qualify if:
- Individuals without a mobile phone number registered at the RCA
- Opt out from breast cancer screening and/or colorectal cancer screening
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Institut Català d'Oncologialead
- University of Dundeecollaborator
- University of Barcelonacollaborator
- University Rovira i Virgilicollaborator
Study Sites (1)
Institut Català d'Oncologia
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, 08908, Spain
Related Publications (4)
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.
PMID: 39742454BACKGROUNDVives 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.
PMID: 39208325BACKGROUNDVives 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.
PMID: 39083331BACKGROUNDVives 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.
PMID: 33481914BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Montse Garcia, PhD
Institut Català d'Oncologia
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Masking Details
- Invited individuals to the cancer screening programs will not be aware of the different arms of the study.
- Purpose
- HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
April 9, 2020
First Posted
April 14, 2020
Study Start
June 5, 2021
Primary Completion
October 31, 2022
Study Completion
December 31, 2022
Last Updated
September 24, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-09
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share