In clinical oncology nursing practice, the preservation of quality of life is an essential component. E-health interventions have been proven effective in improving quality of life in patients with cancer, but the optimal content and delivery format remain undetermined.
To compare the efficacy of e-health interventions with varying contents and delivery formats in improving quality of life in patients with cancer.
Network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Six databases, including Medline, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PsycINFO, were searched from inception to October 25, 2025.
Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. A pairwise meta-analysis and a network meta-analysis were performed sequentially to determine the efficacy of different contents and delivery formats of e-health interventions in improving quality of life in patients with cancer.
A total of 50 studies included e-health interventions with eight contents and five delivery formats. The results identified health education (SUCRA = 82.2%), symptom management (SUCRA = 72.2%), and rehabilitation interventions (SUCRA = 71.1%) as the three most effective e-health intervention contents for improving quality of life in patients with cancer. Among delivery formats, app-based (SUCRA = 82.1%), internet/web-based (SUCRA = 71.5%), and telephone-based e-health interventions (SUCRA = 53.3%) ranked among the top three.
This study explored the efficacy of different contents and delivery formats of e-health interventions in improving quality of life in patients with cancer. These results are expected to provide an evidence-based basis for clinical oncology nursing practice.
PROSPERO number: CRD42025638829