To test the effect of an individualized exercise oncology program on healthcare utilization, 30-day hospital readmission, pain, and cancer treatment tolerance.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
251
The study intervention is a supervised, individualized exercise oncology program described in previous literature2,3,12 and provided by Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, a non-profit organization providing exercise training to individuals with cancer (https://www.mapletreecanceralliance.org/). This organization was founded in 2011 and currently operates in 9 hospitals serving Ohio and Pennsylvania, offering free exercise programs and nutritional guidance to approximately 500 patients annually to help relieve side effects related to cancer treatment.
Resource guide with various options available to cancer survivor. Within this guide are tips for healthy eating and pictures of standard exercises to improve fitness.
Maple Tree Cancer Alliance
Dayton, Ohio, United States
Missed Fractions
Total number of missed fractions, determined by electronic medical record
Time frame: 12 weeks
Numbers of Breaks in Cancer Treatment
Defined as missing 3 or more fractions due to patient condition, determined by electronic medical record
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cost of Emergency Room Visits
Medical expenditure and utilization, for each time a patient utilized an emergency room visit for the purpose of managing health problems in addition to the planned cancer care, determined by electronic medical record.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Encounters
Number of inpatient and outpatient hospital encounters, determined by electronic medical record
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cost of Total Unplanned Expenditures
Number of hospital readmissions for the same presenting issue, determined by electronic medical record
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cost of Hospital Inpatient Care
Hospital length of stay, in days, if applicable. Determined by electronic medical record.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cancer Treatment Adherence
Percentage of patient adherence to their cancer treatment, determined by electronic medical record
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cancer Treatment Symptom Management Medications
Number of the different types of medications taken by patients for symptom management during their cancer treatment. Determined by electronic medical record.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cancer Treatment Related Side Effects
Total number of cancer treatment related side effects
Time frame: 12 weeks
Patient Rated Pain Score
The Short Form-36 survey was used to measure pain. A high score defines a more favorable health state. Each item is scored on a 0 to 100 range, with the lowest and highest possible scores being 0 and 100, respectively.
Time frame: 12 weeks, measured at the start of their exercise program during their initial assessment and at the 12-week follow-up re-assessment.
Cancer TreatmentTtolerance
Measured by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score. Scale is from 0 to 5, with 0 being high functioning and no restriction and 5 being dead.
Time frame: 12 weeks - ECOG performance status measurements were recorded at baseline and at the 12-week follow up appointment.
Quality of Life Measure: Utilizing McGill Quality of Life Survey and FACT-B Questionnaire
McGill Quality of Life Survey: Physical Wellbeing (questions 1-4) - minimum score is 0, maximum score is 40. A higher score would be good and lower score would be bad. Social Wellbeing (questions 12, 14-16) - minimum score is 0, maximum score is 40. A higher score would be good and lower score would be bad. Emotional Wellbeing(questions 5-7, 13) - minimum score is 0 and maximum score is 40. A higher score would be bad and a lower score would be good Functional wellbeing (questions 8-11) - minimum score is 0, maximum score is 40. A higher score would be good and lower score would be bad. FACT-BREAST Survey: Minimum score is 0 and maximum is 148; 0 is not at all and 4 is very much, "good" or "bad" varies depending on the question; overall a higher score is good and a lower score is bad
Time frame: Baseline was at the time of enrollment and follow up was after 12-weeks.
Adherence Rate
Exercise session adherence rate among the Exercise Group, collected from the Maple Tree Cancer Alliance participant records. Exercise session adherence rate was measured by dividing the total number of sessions scheduled by the total number of exercise sessions actually attended by the exercise group.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Percentage of Participants Who Completed the Study (Attrition Rate)
Exercise program attrition rate among the Exercise Group, collected from the Maple Tree Cancer Alliance participant records. Attrition was determined by calculating the percent of participants who completed the study by the total number of participants who started the study.
Time frame: 12 weeks