Universität zu Köln

Kästner, Anika, Kron, Anna ORCID: 0000-0002-3047-6486, Eilers, Leonie, Spier, Anna ORCID: 0009-0001-8256-9756, Mildenberger, Vanessa ORCID: 0000-0003-2526-0979, Simic, Dusan ORCID: 0000-0002-7325-9481, Stock, Stephanie ORCID: 0000-0002-1726-9300, Kron, Florian, Scheffler, Matthias ORCID: 0000-0002-9031-1368, Schillinger, Gerhard, van den Berg, Neeltje, Wolf, Jürgen ORCID: 0000-0001-8833-8812 and Hoffmann, Wolfgang (2025). DigiNet: Optimizing personalized care for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through a digitally connected provider network–analysis plan of a prospective multicenter cohort trial. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 151 (9). pp. 1-12. Springer Nature. ISSN 1432-1335

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Abstract

[Artikel-Nr.: 244] Purpose: The German sector-based healthcare system poses a major challenge to continuous patient monitoring and long-term follow-up, both essential for generating high-quality, longitudinal real-world data. The national Network for Genomic Medicine (nNGM) bridges the inpatient and outpatient care sectors to provide comprehensive molecular diagnostics and personalized treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in Germany. Building on the established nNGM infrastructure, the DigiNet study aims to evaluate the impact of digitally integrated, personalized care on overall survival (OS) and the optimization of treatment pathways, compared to routine care. Methods: DigiNet is a prospective, controlled, non-randomized multicenter cohort study including patients with stage IV NSCLC in two study regions (East and West) in Germany. The results of molecular diagnostics and clinical information, along with the entire treatment data are documented in a shared database. A board of lung cancer specialists monitors critical events. Patients digitally complete quality of life questionnaires, with results visualized for physicians. To assess the impact of this personalized digital care, a population-based control group will be identified by matching cohorts within the involved cancer registries. The primary endpoint is OS, and secondary endpoints comprise time on first-line treatment and hospitalization rates. Furthermore, a health economic and business economic evaluation will be conducted. Qualitative interviews with patients and physicians will be performed to assess barriers and facilitating factors for implementing the DigiNet intervention. Ethics: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Cologne (21-1521). Trial Registration: NCT05818449, registered retrospectively on December 12, 2022.

Item Type:	Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Kästner, Anika UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Kron, Anna UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3047-6486 UNSPECIFIED Eilers, Leonie UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Spier, Anna UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8256-9756 UNSPECIFIED Mildenberger, Vanessa UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2526-0979 UNSPECIFIED Simic, Dusan UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7325-9481 UNSPECIFIED Stock, Stephanie UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1726-9300 UNSPECIFIED Kron, Florian UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Scheffler, Matthias UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9031-1368 UNSPECIFIED Schillinger, Gerhard UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED van den Berg, Neeltje UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Wolf, Jürgen UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8833-8812 UNSPECIFIED Hoffmann, Wolfgang UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-804562
Identification Number:	10.1007/s00432-025-06275-x
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
Volume:	151
Number:	9
Page Range:	pp. 1-12
Number of Pages:	12
Date:	9 September 2025
Publisher:	Springer Nature
ISSN:	1432-1335
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Gesundheitsökonomie > Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Klinische Epidemiologie Faculty of Medicine > Innere Medizin > Klinik I für Innere Medizin - Hämatologie und Onkologie Faculty of Medicine > Weitere > Centrum für integrierte Onkologie (CIO)
Subjects:	Medical sciences Medicine
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Non-small cell lung cancer ; Personalized medicine ; Digital network ; Quality of life ; Cohort study ; Real- world data English
['eprint_fieldname_oa_funders' not defined]:	Publikationsfonds UzK
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/80456