ChemoFit Version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Maintaining Fitness during neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for oesophago-gastric cancer: a feasibility study to design and investigate the utility of a simple, home–based, exercise intervention. (ChemoFit)
IRAS ID
254553
Contact name
Rhona Sinclair
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
ChemoFit is a feasibility study designed to examine whether patients with operable oesophagogastric cancer can be encouraged to take part in a home based exercise regimen during their preoperative chemotherapy and the weeks leading up to surgical resection of their cancer. We will ask patients to complete daily exercise (targeting a step count by using pedometers) and a series of strengthening exercises. The participants will be encouraged weekly to increase the amount of steps that they can walk each day above their baseline with the aim of maintaining or improving fitness during the time before surgery.
We believe this is important because previous work shows that the physical reserve, muscle mass, grip strength and quality of life of the patient are reduced during chemotherapy before patients undergo major surgery. Lower fitness levels are associated with complications of surgery and potentially with lower quality of life and cancer survival.We will test the safety and feasibility of a home exercise regimen on a small group of oesophagogastric patients. We will also explore the impact of this regimen on patients' fitness, sarcopenia, quality of life and inflammatory markers through our secondary outcome measures. At the end of the study focus group sessions will facilitate feedback from the participants in order to best improve our exercise regimen in the future.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
18/WA/0427
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion