Promoting Physical Activity After Colorectal Cancer

October 4, 2010 updated by: The Miriam Hospital
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S. and if detected early, has a favorable prognosis. Colorectal cancer survivors report increased fatigue, low vigor, impaired physical functioning and disturbances in body esteem. However, the group is relatively understudied and the potential benefits of increased physical activity to their recovery have not been examined. This study focuses on enhancing recovery by offering a home-based physical activity program to patients who have completed treatment for colorectal cancer. This study will test the efficacy of the physical activity intervention using a randomized controlled design among 134 patients who have completed treatment for colorectal cancer in the past 2 years. Outcomes will include physical activity behavior, fitness, vigor, fatigue, physical functioning, and body esteem among participants at baseline, 3 (posttreatment), 6 and 12 months. We will also track intervention costs and conduct exploratory analyses of moderators and mediators of change to help guide the future development of physical activity interventions to enhance recovery from colorectal cancer.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S. and if detected early, has a favorable prognosis. Colorectal cancer survivors face many physical and psychosocial sequelae including second cancers, adverse effects on major organs, cognitive, and sexual function, problems in work and social roles and reduced quality of life. Following adjuvant treatments (chemotherapy and/or radiation), these individuals may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis and future cancers. There is growing evidence that moderate-intensity physical activity can improve physical functioning, reduce fatigue, enhance vigor and improve body esteem among those treated for breast cancer. Colorectal cancer survivors report increased fatigue, low vigor, impaired physical functioning and disturbances in body esteem. However, the group is relatively understudied and the potential benefits of increased physical activity to their recovery have not been examined. This study focuses on enhancing recovery by offering a home-based physical activity program to patients who have completed treatment for colorectal cancer. The program, based on our prior work among breast cancer survivors, consists of telephone-delivered physical activity counseling over three months. The counseling is based on the Transtheoretical Model, Social Cognitive Theory and elements of Motivational Interviewing. This study will test the efficacy of the physical activity intervention using a randomized controlled design among 134 patients who have completed treatment for colorectal cancer in the past 2 years. Outcomes will include physical activity behavior, fitness, vigor, fatigue, physical functioning, and body esteem among participants at baseline, 3 (posttreatment), 6 and 12 months. We will also track intervention costs and conduct exploratory analyses of moderators and mediators of change to help guide the future development of physical activity interventions to enhance recovery from colorectal cancer.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

46

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Rhode Island
      • Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02908
        • Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine

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

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:1) men and women aged >18 years, 2) completed primary and adjuvant treatment for colon or rectal cancer (Stages 1-3). To allow for adequate recovery from treatment, patients whose only treatment is surgery, will be eligible for study participation 12 weeks after surgery and remain eligible for 2 years. Patients who have received chemotherapy or radiation will become eligible 8 weeks after treatment completion, and will remain eligible up to 2 years posttreatment. 3) <2 years since treatment completion, 4) able to read and speak English, 5) provide consent for medical chart review, 6) able to walk unassisted, 7) sedentary which will be defined as: currently not exercising for >30 mins. of moderate-intensity activity on >2 days per week or >20 mins. of vigorous activity one or more days per week over the past 6 months, and 8) have access to a telephone.

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Exclusion Criteria:Diabetes, hyperlipidemia and uncontrolled hypertension. Patients who have a positive cardiac history (myocardial infarction, angina, peripheral vascular disease, claudication, transient ischemic attacks, claudication, and past history of stroke) will be asked to obtain written permission from their cardiologist prior to study enrollment.

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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

  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: SINGLE

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (PA) at 3 months among 134 sedentary patients who have completed treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Examine the effects of the intervention on survivors' physical functioning, fitness, vigor, fatigue and body esteem at 3 months.
Examine the maintenance of outcomes (minutes of moderate intensity activity, physical functioning, vigor, fatigue and body esteem) at 6 and 12 months.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

The Miriam Hospital

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

July 1, 2005

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

November 1, 2009

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

November 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 29, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 29, 2005

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

October 3, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

October 5, 2010

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 4, 2010

Last Verified

September 1, 2005

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CA101770

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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