A Practical Case For eCOA In Phase I Oncology Clinical Trials

By Andrés Escallón, Vice President, eCOA Solutions Strategy at Suvoda

Phase I oncology trials rarely have room for technology that adds friction. Cohorts shift, dosing strategies evolve, and visit schedules change quickly—yet most early phase studies skip electronic outcomes collection (eCOA) altogether, not because patient-reported data lacks value, but because existing eCOA options feel oversized for Phase I's pace and complexity. Meanwhile, when assessment data and treatment logistics live in separate systems, study teams face reconciliation challenges and lose the real-time visibility needed to support fast-moving dosing decisions and eligibility calls.

A right-sized, Phase I-tailored eCOA approach—paired with RTSM/IRT on a single platform—offers a path forward. By combining BYOD data collection, standard questionnaires, and unified treatment logistics, teams can capture meaningful quality-of-life data from the earliest stages without added setup burden, while building workflow familiarity that eases the transition into more complex Phase II and III requirements. For sponsors and study teams evaluating how to reduce operational friction while strengthening the patient data foundation of an oncology program, right-sizing eCOA for Phase I is a practical place to start.