Currently submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jun 17, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jun 18, 2026 - Aug 13, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
The Application of Mobile Health in Cognitive Management Among Children with Cancer: A Scoping Review
ABSTRACT
Background:
The incidence of cognitive late effects among children with cancer has been increasing. Mobile health (mHealth), which delivers healthcare services through portable devices, may represent an innovative and scalable approach to optimize cognitive management in this population. However, evidence regarding its effectiveness and acceptability remains limited.
Objective:
This study aimed to systematically explore the evidence on mHealth for cognitive management in pediatric cancer patients and to characterize its key features, including feasibility, acceptability, functionality, and cost-effectiveness.
Methods:
This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR(Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist. Six academic databases and grey literature were searched to identify relevant studies published between January 2010 and April 2026. Reference lists of included studies were also manually screened. A random sample of abstracts and full texts was independently screened by a second reviewer to ensure consistency. Data were charted based on key study characteristics, including study design, participants, intervention content, outcome measures, and main functional components. The results were collated and synthesized using a structured spreadsheet.
Results:
A total of 3,120 records were identified through the literature search, of which 19 studies met the eligibility criteria. Among the included studies, app-based cognitive training was the predominant form of intervention, while other modalities included exergaming, interactive websites, and newly developed mHealth applications. Nearly all studies incorporated cognitive training as a core component; however, only a limited number included coaching support, telephone communication, or educational features, and most interventions primarily focused on training a single cognitive domain.
Conclusions:
Conclusion: Although mHealth shows promise for improving cognitive function in children with cancer, substantial room for improvement remains. Future research should focus on developing multidimensional integrated intervention models, addressing the specific needs of pediatric patients, incorporating multidimensional clinical outcomes, and evaluating the cost-effectiveness of interventions. Our findings provide recommendations for optimizing mHealth-based cognitive management in children with cancer and offer targeted guidance and practical insights for the development of future interventions. Clinical Trial: https://osf.io/mkbaj/overview
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