Studying Tailored Home-Based Exercise Prescriptions in Breast Cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effects of a tailored, home-based exercise prescription to increase physical activity in breast cancer patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy.
IRAS ID
193981
Contact name
Stephen Kihara
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Loughborough University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females, with over 85% of women surviving their disease for 5 years or more. Patients surviving all stages of breast cancer do not do enough physical activity. Current UK guidelines state that patients and survivors should aim to complete a total of 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity spread over a week. Chemotherapy forms a significant part of many patient’s treatment and is associated with various common, well-characterised adverse effects. Physical activity has been emerging as a viable intervention to improve many of these effects during and after treatment. Evidence has also suggested improvements in survival. Cancer doctors have been shown to have a considerable influence on exercise behaviour but do not currently routinely recommend exercise.
The study will determine if the provision of a 12-week tailored walking programme provided alongside a home-based exercise prescription from a cancer doctor results in improved levels of physical activity in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Secondary objectives will assess improved subjectively measured activity, quality-of-life, completion rates of chemotherapy, improved cognitive function, anxiety and depression levels, body composition as well as exploring the role of the effects on specific markers of inflammation in the blood.
We will recruit patients from Leicester Royal Infirmary undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The study will randomise patients to either the intervention or standard care. Those in the intervention group will receive the walking programme with various motivational strategies incorporated as well as a discussion on the benefits of exercise and a prescription from a cancer doctor. All women will wear accelerometers (wrist-worn activity monitors) before and after the 12-week period and complete assessments at these points (as well as a further follow up assessment at 6-months). Assessments will include study questionnaires, cognitive testing, body composition measurement and blood tests.REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0271
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion