Effect of the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA Exercise Program on Cancer Related Outcomes in Cancer Survivors

The proposed study is a randomized trial evaluating the impact of the 12-week LIVESTRONG exercise program vs. waitlist control on cancer-related outcomes in 200 cancer survivors.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: LIVESTRONG

Detailed Description

The proposed study is a randomized trial evaluating the impact of the 12-week LIVESTRONG exercise program vs. waitlist control on cancer-related outcomes in 200 cancer survivors. Participants will undergo baseline testing at Dana-Farber or Yale, including administration of questionnaires to assess quality of life and the presence of cancer and treatment-related symptoms, fasting blood draw, and evaluation of body composition (using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Participants will then take part in the 12-week LIVESTRONG Program or will be assigned to a wait-list control group. All measurements will be repeated at Dana-Farber or Yale after the 12-week exercise program or control period.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 200
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Connecticut
    • New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06519
      • Yale University
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
      • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cancer diagnosis excluding non-melanoma skin cancer
• Physically able to exercise
• Able to complete forms and understand instructions in English
• Agrees to be randomly assigned to either exercise or wait-list control group
• Willing and able to attend one of the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA programs for 12 weeks
• Willing and able to complete the baseline and 3-month clinic visits

Exclusion Criteria:

• > 80 years of age
• < 18 years of age
• Recent (past 6 months) stroke/myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure/documented ejection fraction < 40%
• Plans to undergo a major surgical procedure in the next 6 months
• Presence of dementia or major psychiatric disease that would preclude participation in a group-based exercise program
• Pregnant women or women intending to become pregnant

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: LIVESTRONG Program; Participants randomized to the LIVESTRONG exercise program will attend a 12-week LIVESTRONG Program at one of the participating YMCA's in the greater Boston area or CT. We will have monthly teleconferences to discuss the study, recruitment, and the exercise program. Lastly, throughout the 12-week program, participants will record their attendance at the LIVESTRONG program as well as any exercise done outside of the program. We will provide them with a Physical Activity Log book to record their exercise.	Behavioral: LIVESTRONG; The LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a twelve-week, small group (< 16 participants) program designed for adult cancer survivors. YMCA fitness instructors work with each participant to fit the program to their individual needs. The instructors are trained in the elements of cancer, post rehabilitation exercise and supportive cancer care. There are two YMCA fitness instructors overseeing each exercise session. Each session is 90 min in duration, twice per week, for 12-wks (total of 24 sessions). Each session begins with a warm-up, then aerobic exercise (e.g., treadmill) and resistance training exercises, followed by a cool-down period, and follows the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine.
No Intervention: Wait-List Control; Baseline data will be collected from all study participants before randomization. If a participant is randomized to wait-list control, then he/she will be told that he/she will start the LIVESTRONG program after three months and after he/she returns to Yale or DFCI to complete the 3-month clinic visit.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Physical Activity Level	Modifiable Physical Activity Questionnaire will be used to assess physical activity levels at baseline and 3-months to examine whether the LIVESTRONG program led to maintenance or further increases in physical activity levels compared with participants randomized to control.	3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Body Fat Percentage	Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans will be used to assess body fat percentage, lean body mass, and bone mineral density at baseline and 3-months. Study participants will receive a copy of their 3-month DEXA report.	3 months
Change in Lean Body Mass	Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans will be used to assess body fat percentage, lean body mass, and bone mineral density at baseline and 3-months. Study participants will receive a copy of their 3-month DEXA report.	3 months
Change in Bone Mineral Density	Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans will be used to assess body fat percentage, lean body mass, and bone mineral density at baseline and 3-months. Study participants will receive a copy of their 3-month DEXA report.	3 months
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)	Height and weight will be measured at baseline and 3-months. Participants will be weighed in light indoor clothing, without shoes, rounding up to the nearest 0.1 kg; height will be measured without shoes, using a stadiometer, rounding up to the nearest 0.1 cm. BMI will be calculated using the formula: kg/m2. All measures will be performed and recorded twice in succession.	3 months
Change in Blood Biomarkers	Fasting blood (> 12 hours) will be collected at baseline and 12 weeks for measurement of insulin, c-reactive protein, leptin and adiponectin, which are biomarkers that have been linked to cancer prognosis in prior studies.	12 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Walk Distance	All participants will undergo a 6MWT at baseline and after the 12-week protocol period. Participants will wear tennis shoes and will walk indoors along a long, flat, straight, enclosed corridor, on a flat surface for 6 minutes. They will be instructed to walk continuously along an area at least 50 feet in length, back and forth, for 6 minutes.	12 weeks
Change in Quality of Life	Quality of Life (QOL) will be measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire (version 3) as well as the PROMISE Q. Breast cancer survivors will also complete the FACT-B-ES form that assesses endocrine-related symptoms specific to breast cancer. Additionally, fatigue will be assessed through the FACT-Fatigue Scale, which consists of 13 items designed to assess fatigue in terms of its intensity and interference with performing everyday functions.	12 weeks
Lymphedema Questionnaire	Breast cancer survivors will complete a validated Norman Lymphedema Questionnaire. Previous methodologically strong studies have shown exercise, including upper body resistance/strength training, to decrease the risk of exacerbation of lymphedema as well as severity of lymphedema symptoms in breast cancer survivors randomized to a twice-weekly year long strength training program compared with breast cancer survivors randomized to control. Given these findings, breast cancer survivors with lymphedema will not be excluded from participation in the study. However, MD consent to exercise will be obtained from her oncologist.	12 weeks
Change in Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist	The Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist Short Form is a symptom checklist that will be completed by all study participants at baseline and 3-months to assess side effects/symptoms related to cancer surgery and treatment and how exercise may improve or prevent some of these symptoms. Symptoms such as lymphedema, neuropathy, and arthralgias will be assessed.	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yale University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Melinda L Irwin, PhD, MPH, Yale University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 9, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 10, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): April 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): July 13, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 11, 2016
• Last Verified: July 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise; Body Composition; Survivorship
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1301011291