Feasibility of a Walking Program for Cancer Survivors Receiving Radiation Therapy

University of Alberta21 enrolled

Overview

This pilot study will assess whether a supported pedometer-based walking program is helpful in maintaining physical activity for breast and head-and-neck cancer patients who are undergoing radiation therapy. Follow-up monitoring sessions will be scheduled to help provide support for physical activity during radiation therapy. We will also examine the relationship of physical activity and quality of life outcomes to help inform future research.

Will the integration of a patient-centered exercise prescription and supportive counseling attenuate declines in physical activity during radiation therapy? To address this question, this study will assess the feasibility of a patient-centered walking program for breast and head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Follow-up monitoring sessions will be scheduled to help provide support and ongoing counseling to facilitate increased activity (through walking) during radiation therapy. We will also examine the effect of the walking program on other outcomes such as happiness, depression and sleep to determine point estimates and measures of variability to inform future research.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Physical Activity

Interventions

Pedometer Walking ProgramBEHAVIORAL

All subjects will be prescribed a low-intensity walking program based on their current activity level and an daily assigned step count goal (with the current physical activity recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day or 150 minutes per week as the ideal goal). Participants will be provided with face-to-face counseling and written material describing their specific individualized walking program. Participants will also be instructed to maintain their normal activities as much as possible during the intervention period. Participants will be given a pedometer and instructed to wear it at least 5 days per week for the duration of the study.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Survivors with a diagnosis of breast cancer or head and neck cancer * Adults aged 18 years or older * Commencing adjuvant radiation therapy treatments * Karnofsky Performance Status greater than or equal to 60% Exclusion Criteria: * Clinical or radiological evidence of active disease, either local or metastatic * Serious non-malignant disease, such as cardiac failure or advanced arthritis of weight bearing joints, which would preclude daily treatment and follow-up * Patients for whom physical activity or exercise is contraindicated * Psychiatric or addictive disorders which preclude obtaining informed consent or adherence to the protocol * Unable to comply with the protocol, measurement and follow-up schedule (e.g., scheduling conflicts, time commitment)

Locations (1)

Cross Cancer Institute

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Accrual Rate and Completion Rate

Accrual: Number of participants agreeing to participate divided by the number of eligible participants Completion rate: number of participants completing the trial

Time frame: Anticipated duration of radiation therapy of 6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Adherence

Adherence to the intervention protocol: number of days meeting target step count

Time frame: Anticipated duration of radiation therapy of 6 weeks

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.