Physical Training and Cancer-a Multicenter Clinical Trial (Phys-Can)

December 20, 2023 updated by: Karin Nordin, Uppsala University

Physical Training and Cancer- Effects and Understanding of Mechanisms for Prevent and Minimizing Cancer Related Fatigue, Improve Quality of Life and Disease Outcome

Excessive tiredness (fatigue) is a common problem in cancer patients and can affect quality of life negatively. There is limited knowledge about the physical mechanisms that cause fatigue, and there is no medical treatment. Physical activity can reduce the inconvenience, but the investigators need to learn more about the type and intensity of exercise that works the best as well as how to motivate patients to exercise. The overall aim, is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of individually tailored high (H) and low/medium (LM) intensity physical training, with or without behavioural medicine (BM) support strategies, during adjuvant oncological treatment on; Cancer Related Fatigue (CRF),Quality of Life (QoL), mood disturbance, adherence to the cancer treatment, adverse effects, disease outcome, return to a daily life after completed treatment and return to work. The investigators will also describe changes in inflammatory markers and cytokines related to physical training and gene expressions following training to investigate whether these serve as mediators for the effects of physical training on CRF and QoL. This will be evaluated in newly diagnosed breast, colorectal and prostate cancer patients during adjuvant therapy at three different centres in Sweden; Uppsala, Lund/Malmö and Linköping. A 2x2 factorial design will be used, 600 patients will be randomised to H, H+BM, LM or LM+BM. Patients will train two times per week during 6 months. This project will give; new knowledge about aspects for individuals to gain improved well-being and quality of life, facilitated return to work, and possibly reduced risk of cancer recurrence. This in turn would result in lower burden on the health care system, reduced societal costs and have a positive impact on public health. Implementation of the results into clinical practice will be facilitated by the close collaboration between researchers and clinicians, and the fact that the study is performed in clinical settings.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Purpose and Aims The main aim is to determine the effects of high or low intensity physical training with or without integrated behavioral medicine support strategies to prevent and minimize cancer related fatigue (CRF), improve health related quality of life (QoL) and to understand the role of inflammation and cytokines in the development and maintenance of CRF, as well as to increase knowledge with respect to cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. This will be evaluated in newly diagnosed breast, colorectal and prostate cancer patients during adjuvant therapy at three different centers in Sweden; Uppsala, Lund/Malmö and Linköping and one in Norway.

More specifically, the investigators' objectives are to:

  1. Investigate the effects of high intensity training compared to low intensity training on patient reported outcomes (CRF as primary endpoint), chemotherapy/radiation completion rates, medical (oncology) adverse effects, physical activity and daily function, during adjuvant treatment and at long-term-follow up. In addition, effects on the course of disease (e.g time to relapse).
  2. Investigate if supplemental behavioural medicine support strategies increase adherence to exercise during adjuvant therapy and further if they increase the maintenance of physical activity behaviours and decrease sedentary time in the long run.
  3. Explore the role of changes in inflammatory markers and cytokines related to physical training and following training to investigate whether these serve as mediators for the effects of physical training on CRF and QoL.
  4. Pursue the investigation of a direct role of cytokines secreted from the working muscles, in inhibiting cancer cell growth and inducing apoptosis.
  5. Evaluate health economic issues; cost effectiveness of the interventions, health production and individual wellbeing.

In Phys-Can, the investigators will implement rigorously designed and adequately powered randomized longitudinal multicenter clinical trials, with physical training and behavioral medicine support interventions. The highly multi- and interdisciplinary and international consortium behind this proposal is in an excellent position to perform international and interdisciplinary competence- and network-building activities to generate valid, high quality data covering all areas included in the project, from basic biomedical data to patient reported outcomes (PROs), i.e. from bench to bedside. This is unique in health care sciences.

Study design A 2x2 factorial design will be used. With this design the investigators can study main effects and interactions between factors (groups). Patients will be randomized to one of the following groups; A) individually tailored high intensity training twice a week with (H+BM) or without behavioral medicine support strategies (H) or B) individually tailored low intensity training twice a week with (L+BM) or without behavioral medicine support strategies (L).

Study sample/procedure Patients, who are recently diagnosed with breast cancer, colorectal cancer or prostate cancer and scheduled for adjuvant therapy at Uppsala, Lund/Malmö, Linköping and Haukeland University hospitals will be consecutively included in the study. Based on the power calculation, 612 patients will be included.

All patients will exercise twice a week during 6 months which is equal to the most extensive adjuvant treatment period. It is also an optimal period to achieve physical training effects and to establish physical activity behavior. Physical training under the guidance of trained coaches will be offered twice a week. Training intensity is 40-50% (low intensity group) or 80-90% (high intensity group) of maximal cardiorespiratory fitness/muscular strength. Physical training sessions consist of both cardiorespiratory and resistance exercise. Every four week, progress from resistance training is evaluated by means of a strength test, and absolute intensity is adjusted accordingly Motivational and self-regulatory behavioral medicine support strategies (motivational and self-regulatory strategies) will be provided for the H+BM and the L+BM groups i.e. strategies to enhance engagement in the high and low intensity exercise programs respectively, and to maintain health enhancing physical activity after the completion of the programs.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

600

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • understand and talk Swedish.
  • patients with breast cancer who receive neoadjuvant / adjuvant chemotherapy and / or adjuvant radiotherapy and / or adjuvant endocrine treatment.
  • patients with colorectal cancer who receive adjuvant chemotherapy.
  • patients with prostate cancer who receive neoadjuvant / adjuvant endocrine treatment with the addition of curative radiation therapy.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients unable to perform basic activities of daily living.
  • Patients with cognitive disorders such as dementia and severe psychiatric illness.
  • Patients with disabilities that may prevent physical activity: (eg, unstable angina, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, orthopedic and neurological diseases).
  • Breast cancer stage IIIb.
  • Undergoing treatment for other types of malignant disease.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High intensity
high intensity exercise 80-90%
high intensity exercise 80-90%
Experimental: Low/Medium intensity
low/medium intensity exercise 40-50%
low/medium intensity exercise 40-50%
Experimental: High Intensity with BM
high intensity exercise with Behavioral medicine strategies¨ 80-90%
high intensity exercise 80-90%
Motivational and self-regulatory behavioral medicine support strategies
Experimental: Low/Medium intensity with BM
low/medium intensity exercise with Behavioral medicine strategies 40-50%
low/medium intensity exercise 40-50%
Motivational and self-regulatory behavioral medicine support strategies

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Fatigue
Time Frame: post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
Multi Dimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI),
post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Quality of Life
Time Frame: post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)EORTC-QLQ30
post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
Change in Mood disturbance
Time Frame: post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale- (HADs)
post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
Change in Function in Daily life
Time Frame: 6 months,1, 2, 5 years
WHO Disability Assessment Schedule
6 months,1, 2, 5 years
Change in pain
Time Frame: post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
Brief Pain Inventory
post oncol treatment (expected time frame 6-8 weeks), 6 month, 1,2,5 years
Change in Cardio respiratory fitness
Time Frame: 6 month
maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max test)
6 month
Change in Muscle strength
Time Frame: 6 months
One Repetition Maximum Lower extremities: One Repetition Maximum (leg press)
6 months
Health Economy
Time Frame: 12 months
Euroqol- (EQ5D)
12 months
Cancer recurrence
Time Frame: 10 year
number of patients with recurrence
10 year
Sleep
Time Frame: 6 months
Insomnia severe index
6 months
Health Economy register
Time Frame: 12 months
register data
12 months
Cancer recurrence
Time Frame: 6 months, 1, 2, 5, 10 years
Medical records
6 months, 1, 2, 5, 10 years
Treatment completion rate
Time Frame: 1, 2, 5, 10 year
Medical records
1, 2, 5, 10 year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Karin Nordin, Professor, Uppsala University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 10, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 11, 2015

First Posted (Estimated)

June 16, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

December 21, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 20, 2023

Last Verified

December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • D0273401, CAN2012/631,621

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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