Activating Cancer Communities Through an Exercise Strategy for Survivors

NCT03599843 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 1023682
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Cancer continues to have the dubious honor of being the leading cause of premature mortality in Canada. The good news is, advances in early detection and cancer treatments are extending the lives of those diagnosed with the disease. However, as more people are living longer, the impact of the therapies used to treat the disease are becoming increasingly apparent. Ranging from the physiological to psychological, cancer survivors are often confronted with substantial, disabling, and life-threatening consequences. The benefits of physical activity (all movement) and exercise more specifically have long been established as a means of prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Several recent reviews and meta-analyses have demonstrated that exercise is a safe and effective means of preventing and improving a multitude of physical and psychological treatment and disease-related sequelae across the cancer trajectory. For example, we know that cancer survivors who exercise not only have a reduced risk of disease recurrence and cancer mortality, but also have reduced acute/late effects of their cancer and/or its treatment such as anxiety, depression, and cancer-related pain. Regrettably, despite our substantial knowledge base, the majority of cancer survivors are not sufficiently active to realize these benefits over the long-term. Moreover, even with the development of evidence-based guidelines, exercise has not yet been widely implemented as a standard of care in the oncology setting largely due to a lack of resources, exercise expertise, and awareness of benefits. Continuing to provide cancer care with little guidance and understanding of the benefits of exercise places cancer survivors at an increased risk for recurrence, late effects, and/or onset of additional co-morbidities, and premature mortality. Therefore, it is important to consider best practices that will optimize and improve quality of survival. Building on the ongoing work of our Alberta-based colleagues and the Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE) Program (an evidence-based clinic-to-community cancer exercise model), Activating Cancer Communities through an Exercise Strategy for Survivors (ACCESS) is designed to bridge the gap between research and practice and in doing so, lessen the impact of a cancer diagnosis and its treatment(s) on the physical and psychological well-being of cancer survivors.

Conditions

Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (14)

• Physiological Outcome - resting heart rate

  Seated resting heart rate will be measured in beats per minute.

  12 weeks

• Physiological outcome - blood pressure

  Seated systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be measured in mm of Hg

  12 weeks

• Physiological outcome - 6 minute walk test (6MWT)

  The total distance walked in 6 minutes will be measured in meters

  12 weeks

• Physiological Outcome - handgrip

  Handgrip will be measured in both the left and right hand. Two trials will be conducted on each side and the highest score will be used. Handgrip is measured in kg.

  12 weeks

• Physiological outcome - timed sit-to-stand

  Time, is seconds, required to move from a seated to a standing position will be recorded.

  12 weeks

• Physiological Outcome - one legged stance/balance

  Participants will be asked to stand on one leg with no support for as long as they can up to a maximum of 45 seconds. Trials will be conducted on the right and left side and time will be recorded in seconds.

  12 weeks

• Physiological Outcome - sit-and-reach

  Hamstring flexibility will be measured in centimeters.

  12 weeks

• Physiological Outcome - shoulder flexibility

  Shoulder flexibility will be measured in degrees

  12 weeks

• Daily steps

  Total number of daily steps will be recorded using a pedometer.

  12 weeks

• Functional Assessment of Cancer therapy General (FACT-G)

  The FACT-G is used to assess quality of life. It is a 27 item compilation of questions dived in four primary quality of life domains: 1) physical well-being; 2) social/family well-being; 3) emotional well-being; and 4) functional well-being.

  12 weeks

• Physical Activity Behaviour

  The Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire will be used to assess physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

  12 weeks

• Sleep Quality

  Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index.

  12 weeks

• Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)

  The depression anxiety stress scales consists of a list of 42 symptoms associated with depression, anxiety or stress. The participant is asked score the severity of the symptom over the past week on a 4 point scale.

  12 weeks

• Fatigue

  The functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue (FACIT-F), which is a 13-item scale, will be used to assess participant levels of fatigue.

  12-weeks

Study Arms (1)

ACCESS

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals that consent to the study will be assigned to a 12-week exercise program (ACCESS)

Behavioral: Exercise

Interventions

Exercise BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete a 12 week exercise session that will be comprised of aerobic and/or resistance and/or flexibility training.

ACCESS

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Have a diagnosis of cancer;
• Be 18+ years;
• Be pre-treatment, receiving active treatment, or have received cancer treatment within the past 5 years or have a late presenting/ongoing side-effects related to the cancer diagnosis;
• Be able to participate in mild levels of physical activity (at a minimum);
• Be willing to attend a 12-week exercise program in Halifax;
• Be able to provide informed written consent in English.

You may not qualify if:

• \- Less than 18 years of age.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nova Scotia Health Authority: lead

Study Sites (1)

QEII Health Sciences Centre (Dickson Bldg)

Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 2Y9, Canada

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms

Interventions

Exercise

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Central Study Contacts

Scott A Grandy, PhD

CONTACT

902-494-4303; grandy@dal.ca

Melanie R Keats, PhD

CONTACT

9024947173; melanie.keats@dal.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Type 2, hybrid implementation-effectiveness study

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2018
• First Posted: July 26, 2018
• Study Start: September 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2025
• Study Completion: December 31, 2025
• Last Updated: February 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)