SurvivorshipNCT05863702
Staying Healthy With Follow-up Care: A Mobile Chatbot Feasibility Study for AYA Cancer Survivors
A study testing Penny in people with Survivorship, run by Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this project is to identify effective strategies to assist survivors of childhood and young adult cancers (diagnosed between birth and age 39) who have not returned for follow-up cancer care for 3 or more years, to reengage with the health care system. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Survivorship
- What is being tested?
- Penny
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 53 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 11 Sep 2023to 30 Oct 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult patient (age > 18 years), male or female, diagnosed with cancer as a child or as a young adult, between birth and 39 years of age
- Patient possession of a mobile device that can receive SMS texts
- Ability to respond to questions and engage with "Penny" in English
- Ability to provide informed consent to participate in the study
- Approval of the patient's oncology care team for the patient to be involved in the study
Who cannot join
- Anyone who does not meet the inclusion criteria
- Patients with a history of thyroid cancer or skin cancers
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
About this study
Official title: Staying Healthy With Follow-up Care: A Feasibility Study Utilizing a Chatbot (Penny) Via Mobile Phones to Increase Compliance With Risk Based Survivorship Care (RBSC) Among Adult Survivors of Pediatric and Young Adult Cancers
The purpose of this project is to identify effective strategies to assist survivors of childhood and young adult cancers (diagnosed between birth and age 39) who have not returned for follow-up cancer care for 3 or more years, to reengage with the health care system. The investigator will evaluate the effect of a novel, bidirectional conversational agent ("Penny"), compared to usual care, to assist patients with scheduling appointments, lab work as well as scans and specialty appointments as needed.
Read the detailed description
To achieve this, the investigator will use a two-arm randomized controlled trial to explore how multilevel factors impact the acceptability and effectiveness of this strategy by collecting qualitative and quantitative data from patients. Penny is a conversational agent ("chatbot") that engages patients in real time via text messaging, allowing for bidirectional communication and motivational cues to promote adherence. The chatbot will assist patients who have not been see for cancer follow-up care, with scheduling follow-up appointments, labs, scans, specialty appointments, and monitor compliance with the appointments made.
- Conditions
- Survivorship
- Being tested
- Penny
- Keywords
- Survivorship, Pediatric Cancers, Young Adult Cancers
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PennyBehavioural
The chatbot will assist patients who have not been see for cancer follow-up care, with scheduling follow-up appointments, labs, scans, specialty appointments, and monitor compliance with the appointments made.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Usual Care | No intervention | Not described |
| Penny text-messaging program | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Penny |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
To evaluate the utilization of a chatbot (Penny) to increase receipt of evidence-based survivorship care in YA survivors of pediatric and YA cancers
We will identify adult survivors of pediatric and YA cancers who have not been seen for follow-up care >3 years and evaluate patients' engagement with Penny to schedule return appointments and adhere to recommended life-long ongoing follow-up care according to the NCCN guidelines. Patients will be monitored over a 16-week period to see if they scheduled a follow-up care appointment.
Measured: 1 year
Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm
Percentage of initial responses to the conversation initiated by Penny (opt in vs. opt out) providing permission for text messaging
Measured: 1 year
Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm
Total number of times patients engage with Penny to schedule follow up appointments, scans, labs, recommendations for other services made at each clinical visit
Measured: 1 year
Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm
Total number of patients who engage with Penny throughout the study, schedule and are compliant with appointments, scans, labs, and referrals to other services made at each clinical visit
Measured: 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 May 2023
- Study start11 Sep 2023
- Primary completion1 Sep 2025
- Study completion30 Oct 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for SurvivorshipStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Abramson Cancer Center at Penn MedicineThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator
- Enrolment
- 53 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05863702
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UPCC#: 11923
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 24 Apr 2023
- Last updated
- 17 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Staying Healthy With Follow-up Care: A Feasibility Study Utilizing a Chatbot (Penny) Via Mobile Phones to Increase Compliance With Risk Based Survivorship Care (RBSC) Among Adult Survivors of Pediatric and Young Adult Cancers
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05863702
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UPCC#: 11923
- Conditions
- Survivorship
- Keywords
- Survivorship, Pediatric Cancers, Young Adult Cancers
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 53 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Abramson Cancer Center at Penn MedicineUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 11 Sep 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Oct 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 May 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this project is to identify effective strategies to assist survivors of childhood and young adult cancers (diagnosed between birth and age 39) who have not returned for follow-up cancer care for 3 or more years, to reengage with the health care system. The investigator will evaluate the effect of a novel, bidirectional conversational agent ("Penny"), compared to usual care, to assist patients with scheduling appointments, lab work as well as scans and specialty appointments as needed.
Detailed description
To achieve this, the investigator will use a two-arm randomized controlled trial to explore how multilevel factors impact the acceptability and effectiveness of this strategy by collecting qualitative and quantitative data from patients. Penny is a conversational agent ("chatbot") that engages patients in real time via text messaging, allowing for bidirectional communication and motivational cues to promote adherence. The chatbot will assist patients who have not been see for cancer follow-up care, with scheduling follow-up appointments, labs, scans, specialty appointments, and monitor compliance with the appointments made.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Usual Care | No intervention | – |
| Penny text-messaging program | Experimental | Behavioral: Penny |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Adult patient (age > 18 years), male or female, diagnosed with cancer as a child or as a young adult, between birth and 39 years of age
- Patient possession of a mobile device that can receive SMS texts
- Ability to respond to questions and engage with "Penny" in English
- Ability to provide informed consent to participate in the study
- Approval of the patient's oncology care team for the patient to be involved in the study
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Anyone who does not meet the inclusion criteria
- Patients with a history of thyroid cancer or skin cancers
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| PennyThe chatbot will assist patients who have not been see for cancer follow-up care, with scheduling follow-up appointments, labs, scans, specialty appointments, and monitor compliance with the appointments made. | Behavioural | Penny text-messaging program |
Primary outcome
To evaluate the utilization of a chatbot (Penny) to increase receipt of evidence-based survivorship care in YA survivors of pediatric and YA cancers
Time frame: 1 year
We will identify adult survivors of pediatric and YA cancers who have not been seen for follow-up care >3 years and evaluate patients' engagement with Penny to schedule return appointments and adhere to recommended life-long ongoing follow-up care according to the NCCN guidelines. Patients will be monitored over a 16-week period to see if they scheduled a follow-up care appointment.
Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm
Time frame: 1 year
Percentage of initial responses to the conversation initiated by Penny (opt in vs. opt out) providing permission for text messaging
Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm
Time frame: 1 year
Total number of times patients engage with Penny to schedule follow up appointments, scans, labs, recommendations for other services made at each clinical visit
Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm
Time frame: 1 year
Total number of patients who engage with Penny throughout the study, schedule and are compliant with appointments, scans, labs, and referrals to other services made at each clinical visit
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Dec 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Penny in people with Survivorship, run by Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
To evaluate the utilization of a chatbot (Penny) to increase receipt of evidence-based survivorship care in YA survivors of pediatric and YA cancers (time frame: 1 year). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Dec 2025.