NCT03724331

Brief Summary

Among 13 core symptoms across 3,106 breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancer patients, persons with lung cancer were the most symptomatic, with moderate to severe fatigue being reported with the greatest prevalence. This is a proposed randomized controlled trial of a novel rehabilitative intervention for persons with non-small cell lung cancer after surgery that promotes self-management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and is practical, portable, low cost, and safe. The results of the study will provide a novel exercise intervention, and its optimal timing, that helps a vulnerable population by reducing CRF severity and fatigability and is applicable to nearly all post-thoracotomy lung cancer patients.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
235

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jun 2019

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 25, 2018

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

October 30, 2018

Completed
7 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

June 4, 2019

Completed
4.4 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

November 1, 2023

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

November 1, 2023

Completed
2.3 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

February 24, 2026

Completed
Last Updated

February 24, 2026

Status Verified

July 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

4.4 years

First QC Date

October 25, 2018

Results QC Date

January 15, 2026

Last Update Submit

February 20, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

Cancer-Related FatigueFatigueSymptomsFunctional StatusQuality of LifeLung CancerRehabilitationExercisePhysical ActivitySelf-EfficacySelf-Management

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Cancer-related Fatigue Severity Using The Brief Fatigue Inventory.

    The Brief Fatigue Inventory measured the degree of cancer-related fatigue severity on an 11-point scale (0-10, 10 = most severe)

    about 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital

  • Cancer-Related Fatigue Fatigability as Assessed Using the 6 Minute Walk Test.

    This is a times and measured test to determine the number of meters a participant can walk in 6 minutes. Lower values indicate greater fatigability.

    Immediately after discharge from the hospital

Secondary Outcomes (7)

  • Other Symptoms Severity

    about 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital

  • Perceived Self-Efficacy for Fatigue Self-Management

    about 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital

  • Self-Efficacy for Walking Duration

    about 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital

  • Activities-Specific Balance Confidence

    about 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital

  • Steps Per Day

    about 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital

  • +2 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (3)

Light Physical Activity 1

EXPERIMENTAL

Conventional treatment for cancer as prescribed by the participant's health care providers and will receive a home-based light (mild) physical activity program that begins approximately within one week after discharge from the hospital with the physical activity program starting approximately within the first week post-discharge from the hospital.

Behavioral: Light Physical Activity 1

Light Physical Activity 2

EXPERIMENTAL

Conventional treatment for cancer as prescribed by the participant's health care providers and will receive a home-based light (mild) physical activity program that begins approximately within one week after discharge from the hospital with the physical activity program starting approximately 7 weeks post-discharge from the hospital.

Behavioral: Light Physical Activity 2

Support Education Activity

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Conventional treatment for cancer as prescribed by the participant's health care providers and will participate in a supportive cancer-related education activity each week for 6-weeks after returning home from the hospital.

Behavioral: Support Education Activity

Interventions

Light (mild) physical activity program that corresponds with normal every day activities of daily living (\< 3.0 metabolic equivalents, METs), with a time commitment starting at 5 minutes a day 5 days a week gradually increasing to 30 minutes a day 5 days a week as you are able by week 6 as guided by your Registered Nurse researcher. The program begins approximately within one week after discharge from the hospital with the physical activity program starting approximately within the first week post-discharge from the hospital.

Light Physical Activity 1

Light (mild) physical activity program that corresponds with normal every day activities of daily living (\< 3.0 metabolic equivalents, METs), with a time commitment starting at 5 minutes a day 5 days a week gradually increasing to 30 minutes a day 5 days a week as you are able by week 6 as guided by your Registered Nurse researcher. The program begins approximately within one week after discharge from the hospital with the physical activity program starting approximately 7 weeks post-discharge from the hospital.

Light Physical Activity 2

Participate in a supportive cancer-related education activity including a direct 10 - 15 minute phone conversation with a Registered Nurse researcher each week for 6-weeks after returning home from the hospital. Wear a pedometer each day of the study. Recording pedometer steps in the daily diary each day.

Support Education Activity

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Women and men
  • At least 18 years of age (Michigan) and 19 years of age in (Nebraska)
  • With suspected non-small cell lung cancer to be confirmed after surgery
  • Karnofsky Performance Status score of at least 70%
  • Thoracic surgeon approval pre- and post-surgery
  • Medically stable comorbid conditions allowing for non-small cell lung cancer surgery clearance
  • Has phone access capability
  • Able to speak and write English
  • Able to hear and speak for phone interviews
  • Owns a television
  • Lives within 2 hours driving distance of recruitment site

You may not qualify if:

  • Severe impairment of sight, hearing, speaking
  • Active treatment for malignancy within past 3 months (other than non-melanoma skin cancer or long-term hormonal treatment for common cancers such as breast and prostate if disease is stable
  • Weight greater than 330 pounds
  • History of photosensitive seizures
  • Any condition or disorder that would impede safe participation as directed
  • Plans to relocate outside the area during the study period or unable to fully participate

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

FatigueMotor ActivityLung NeoplasmsCarcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsBehaviorRespiratory Tract NeoplasmsThoracic NeoplasmsNeoplasms by SiteNeoplasmsLung DiseasesRespiratory Tract DiseasesCarcinoma, BronchogenicBronchial Neoplasms

Limitations and Caveats

In 2025, the university made a finding of research misconduct involving this project and communicated this to the NIH Chief Extramural Research Integrity Officer. Given the nature of the misconduct, it is not possible to validate the authenticity of a sufficient proportion of the records for meaningful analysis of the impact of the intervention. Given this situation, analysis for Aims 1, 2, and 3c cannot be performed in a manner that will yield rigorous conclusions with confidence.

Results Point of Contact

Title
Kevin A. Kupzyk, PhD
Organization
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Study Officials

  • Amy J Hoffman, PhD, RN

    University of Nebraska

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
Yes

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
OTHER
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 25, 2018

First Posted

October 30, 2018

Study Start

June 4, 2019

Primary Completion

November 1, 2023

Study Completion

November 1, 2023

Last Updated

February 24, 2026

Results First Posted

February 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

We will disseminate the results from this study at national/international meetings. We also expect that the findings of this study will be disseminated through scientific journals with multiple manuscripts prepared by the investigators from this study for publication in peer-reviewed journals. The investigators agree to continue to abide by the NIH Public Access Policy by submitting final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts to the digital archive, PubMed Central, upon acceptance for publication.

Locations