Evaluating Cancer-Related Mobile Apps

The apps were independently evaluated by 2 investigators (SY and CNB). We recorded each app’s title, platform, developer, category, date of latest update, language, and description. The content and functions of the selected apps were classified using the CCC, which has been used since the mid-1970s to describe the various stages of cancer in terms of etiology, prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship [29 (link),30 ]. Although the CCC categories are not discrete due to their oversimplified nature, they provide useful labels based on the development of cancer biology. We adopted the coding scheme proposed by Charbonneau et al [10 (link)], which redefined the following 7 categories of cancer apps identified by Bender et al [4 (link)]: educational, fundraising, prevention, early detection, disease and treatment information, disease management, and support. By integrating these concepts with the CCC stages, we created new categories that covered the app features identified in previous studies (Multimedia Appendix 1). We assumed that the functions and content of BC-related apps would fit into these categories.