Feasibility of Symptom Management for Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer to Increase Exercise

January 16, 2026 updated by: UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
This study will examine unmet exercise needs among patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) at UNC and assess whether participation in Get Real and Heel (GRH) can increase physical activity. The proposed research aims to improve multiple domains of well-being, quality of life, physical function, social support and reduce social isolation through a community based exercise intervention. By leveraging underutilized University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC) resources, this work seeks to reduce barriers to accessibility, awareness, and appropriateness of exercise programming for this underserved population. Findings will help close the gap between patients' exercise needs, interest, and participation, with potential benefits for symptoms, functioning, and quality of life.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Patients with MBC are living longer due to improved treatments, yet up to 92% experience functional decline and reduced quality of life. Exercise is a recommended, safe, and effective intervention for improving function, strength, fitness, and quality of life, but most patients do not meet guidelines. At UNC, a recent needs-assessment survey study of MBC patients (n=50) found that 52% were sedentary, although 72% believed increased exercise would improve treatment tolerance. GRH, established in 2006, offers 16 weeks of free, expert-led exercise including aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility training tailored to participant needs. Despite its availability, only 4% of surveyed patients had been referred.

This study will evaluate the feasibility of implementing GRH for all MBC patients at UNC and assess its impact on quality of life, physical functioning, fatigue, and social isolation. Feasibility will be defined as attending ≥24 of 32 sessions. Patient-reported outcomes including Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Breast (FACT-B), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) -Physical Function, the modified Medical Outcomes Social Support Survey, and PROMIS Social Isolation-will be collected electronically at baseline and at 16 weeks.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
        • Recruiting
        • Lineberger Comphrehensive Cancer Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
        • Contact:
          • Sasha Knowlton
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Sasha E Knowlton, MD

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

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

In order to participate in this study a subject must meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined below.

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Written informed consent obtained to participate in the study and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information.
  • Subjects are willing and able to comply with study procedures based on the judgement of the investigator or protocol designee.
  • Age > 18 years at the time of consent.
  • Diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer within two years of consent date
  • Receives medical clearance from clinical team for moderate intensity exercise programming
  • Indicates intent to receive ongoing cancer care at the enrolling institution
  • English Speaking - program and measures are in English and not practicably translatable for a study this size.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently on hospice.
  • Bed-bound status or other contraindication to exercise
  • Participation in GRH since their diagnosis with MBC

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) receive Get Real and Heel (GRH)
Participants will receive Get Real and Heel (GRH) exercise program.
Behavioral: The Real and Heel (GRH)
The Get Real and Heel (GRH) program is a 16-week exercise intervention developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Feasibility of referral to Get Real and Heel
Time Frame: Up to 16 weeks
The proportion of consented patients who are successfully referred to the Get Real and Heel program and complete at least 24 sessions (32 total available; 2 sessions per week) in person.
Up to 16 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Differences in quality of life - Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Breast (The FACT-B)
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Differences in quality of life will be measured from the baseline (start of Get Real and Heel program) and post-16-week follow-up Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Breast (The FACT-B) scores. The FACT-B is a breast-cancer specific survey consisting of 37 questions regarding quality of life over the past 7 days. Total scores range 0-148. Higher scores indicate lower health-related quality of life.
16 weeks
Differences in quality of life - Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) -Physical Function
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Differences in quality of life will be measured from the baseline (start of Get Real and Heel program) and post-16-week follow-up Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) -Physical Function 8c scores. The PROMIS Physical Function 8c asks about physical function over a 7-day period and is recommended to assess tolerance to drug therapy in the cancer population. The raw scores are then converted to a T-score, with higher scores indicating better function.
16 weeks
Differences in quality of life - Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) -Social Isolation
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Differences in quality of life will be measured from the baseline (start of Get Real and Heel program) and post-16-week follow-up Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) -Social Isolation scores. The PROMIS Social Isolation survey asks about feelings of disconnection or exclusion from others where a T-score is utilized as a summary measure, with higher values indicating more social isolation
16 weeks
Differences in social support
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Differences in social support will be measured from the baseline (start of GRH program) and post-16-week follow-up modified Medical Outcomes Social Support (mMOS-SS) scores. The mMOS-SS is an eight-item questionnaire asks about emotional and tangible social support that has been validated in the cancer population, including breast cancer, with a range of 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating more social support.
16 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sasha Knowlton, MD, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

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.

Helpful Links

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 (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 15, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 17, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 17, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • LCCC2513

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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