Clinical trial · Interventional
SMS Messaging as a Tool to Improve Cancer Screening Programs
Implementation of Text Messaging (SMS) as an Improvement Tool in Population-based Cancer Screening Programs
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
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.
Conditions
Conditions (3)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | Malignant Breast Neoplasm | CURATED_EXACT | 0.92 |
| Colorectal Cancer | Malignant Colorectal Neoplasm | CURATED_BROADER | 0.80 |
| Mass Screening | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (3)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invitation by SMS to previous participants in breast cancer screening: | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| SMS reminders to enhance colorectal cancer screening | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| SMS reminders to return the fecal immunochemical test at the pharmacy in CRC screening: | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (6)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Intervention 1: SMS reminders in colorectal cancer screening
- description
- SMS reminders will be sent to individuals who received an invitation letter from Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and haven't participated within 6 weeks.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: SMS reminders to enhance colorectal cancer screening
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Usual Care 1: Reminder letter in colorectal cancer screening
- description
- 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.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: SMS reminders to enhance colorectal cancer screening
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 50 Years
- Maximum age
- 69 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
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
References
Publications (4)
- BACKGROUNDVives 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 33481914
- RESULTVives 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 39742454
- RESULTVives 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 39208325
- RESULTVives 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 39083331