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Exercise to Prevent AnthrCycline-based Cardio-Toxicity Study

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Inflammation
Neoplasms
Heart; Disease, Functional
Interventions
Other: Moderate Intensity Exercise
Registration Number
NCT02471053
Lead Sponsor
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Brief Summary

As the numbers of cancer survivors grow, the long-term adverse effects of cancer therapy are becoming increasingly apparent. Most prominent are the toxic effects on the heart (cardiotoxicity) which may lead to cardiac dysfunction and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The investigators hypothesize that an individualized aerobic training program for cancer patients receiving active treatment will be both feasible and safe and will result in improvements in overall levels of physical activity and quality of life.

Feasibility will be assessed by evaluating the recruitment, adherence and attrition rates, along with program safety. Efficacy will be assessed by evaluating changes in health-related outcomes.

Detailed Description

As the numbers of cancer survivors grow, the long-term adverse effects of cancer therapy are becoming increasingly apparent. Most prominent are the toxic effects on the heart (cardiotoxicity) which may lead to cardiac dysfunction and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Of note, data indicate that the magnitude of CVD risk for long-term survivors may exceed the risk of a secondary malignancy, which is a known complication of primary cancer therapy. While long-term follow-up data in adult cancer survivors is lacking, study of adult survivors of childhood cancers shows that these individuals are 15 times more likely to develop congestive heart failure (CHF), 10 times more likely to develop CVD, and 9 times more likely to suffer a stroke compared individuals who have not had cancer. Thus, it is clear that the long-term cardiotoxic effects of cancer therapy represent a significant concern for cancer survivors. The mechanisms responsible for the damaging effects of cancer therapy are not fully understood, however there is a need to maximize the benefits of treatment while minimizing long-term damage. Recent animal studies suggest that aerobic exercise training may offer a protective effect against chemotherapy-induced heart disease. However, to the investigator's knowledge, no study to date has examined the potential cardioprotective benefits of exercise training for patients receiving cancer treatment.

Accordingly, the purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a 12-week supervised exercise program based on the principles of cardiac rehabilitation for patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Feasibility will be assessed by evaluating three outcomes, recruitment rate, adherence rate (i.e. exercise class attendance records), attrition rate, and safety (i.e. number of adverse events).

Efficacy will be assessed by evaluating changes in health-related outcomes to assess if these changes are equal to or better than what was measured at baseline. The health-related outcomes include cardiac function and biological markers of cardiotoxicity.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
12
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria
  • Any patients who meet the inclusion criteria, but have any significant cognitive limitations will be excluded from the study.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Moderate Intensity ExerciseModerate Intensity ExerciseAll consenting patients will participate in an aerobic training program, twice-weekly over a 12-week period. Assessments will be performed at baseline (pre-training) and post-program (12-weeks). All participants will continue to receive standard care for their cancer diagnosis.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Feasibility as measured by rate of recruitment12 Weeks

The rate of recruitment will be measured by comparing the number of patients screened to the number of patients enrolled (patients per month).

Number of adverse events12 Weeks

The number of adverse events associated with exercise program will be used to examine safety.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cytokines (IL-1α)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Fasting Glucose12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels will be compared.

Fatigue12 Weeks

The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Fatigue questionnaire will be used to compare baseline and 12 week self-reported levels of fatigue.

Lipid Profile12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels will be compared.

Cardiac Disease Risk12 Weeks

Cardiac disease risk will be measured using the Framingham Risk Score.

Physical Activity Behaviours12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels of physical activity will be measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Feasibility as measured by attrition rate12 Weeks

The attrition rate will be measured by the number of patients who drop out of the study.

Aerobic Fitness12 Weeks

Aerobic fitness will be measured by comparing baseline and 12 week cardiac stress tests and the associated peak oxygen uptake values.

Cytokines (IL-17)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Feasibility as measured by program adherence12 Weeks

The program adherence will be calculated by dividing the total number of exercise sessions by the number of actual session attended.

C-reactive protein (CRP)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels will be compared.

Cytokines (IL-4)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Cytokines (IL-10)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Cardiac Function12 Weeks

Cardiac function will be measured by examining heart chamber size, ventricular function and blood flow between the cardiac chambers using a Multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan.

Life Quality12 Weeks

The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General questionnaire along with the appropriate tumor specific appendix, will be used to compare baseline and 12 week quality of life measures.

High-sensitivity Troponin (hs-TNT)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels will be compared.

N-terminal of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels will be compared.

Cytokines (IL-1β)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Cytokines (IL-6)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Cytokines (TNFα)12 Weeks

Baseline and 12 week levels (picogram per milileter) will be compared.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

QEII Health Science Center, Nova Scotia Health Authority

🇨🇦

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

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