Feasibility Testing of a Dyadic Exercise Program for Patients Undergoing Thoracic Radiotherapy and Their Family Caregivers

NCT07234799 | Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 2025-0744NCI-2025-07868
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of an exercise intervention for patients undergoing thoracic radiation and their family caregivers.

Conditions

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Quality of Life Questionnaire

  Patients and caregivers will complete the Medical Outcomes. Study 36-item short-form survey (SF-36) assessing 8 distinct domains of QOL

  Through study completion; an average of 1 year

Study Arms (1)

Exercise Protocol

EXPERIMENTAL

The protocol will be comprised of up to 15 exercise sessions over the course of participants' 5-6 weeks radiation treatment period with each session lasting up to 60 minutes. Exercise sessions are a combination of resistance, aerobic, and flexibility training using bodyweight and/or elastic bands for resistance.

Other: Exercise

Interventions

Exercise OTHER

Study participants will engage in 7-10 exercises per session targeting major muscle groups (e.g. quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, back, chest, arms, abdominal muscles). Movements will alternate between the lower and upper body thus allowing ample time for muscle-group recovery between exercises.

Exercise Protocol

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Be diagnosed with a non-small cell lung cancer or esophageal cancer and going to receive at least 24 fractions thoracic RT
• Have an ECOG performance status of ≤2
• Have a family caregiver (e.g., spouse, sibling, adult child) willing and able (self-identified) to participate in the exercise program
• Both patient and caregiver must meet all the following criteria:
• Be ≥18 years old
• Be able to read and speak English
• Be able to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• A patient who meets the following criteria will be excluded from participating in this study:
• Cognitive deficits noted in the medical records and/or cognitive deficits that would impede the completion of self-report instruments as deemed by the patient's attending radiation oncologist.
• Experiences contraindications to exercise as determined by the clinical team
• Regularly (self-defined) participates in an exercise program in the year prior to diagnosis
• A patient and caregiver who is pregnant (medical notes and/or self-identified, respectively) will be excluded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

RECRUITING

Related Links

• MD Anderson Cancer Center Website

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic; Bronchial Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Thoracic Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Kathrin Milbury, MA,PHD

  M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Kathrin Milbury, MA,PHD

CONTACT

(713) 745-2868; kmilbury@mdanderson.org

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 22, 2025
• First Posted: November 18, 2025
• Study Start: September 18, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 4, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 4, 2028
• Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Locations

US (1)