Exercise Intervention for LGBT Cancer Survivors

University of Rochester

Status: Completed

Conditions: Neoplasms

Treatments: Behavioral: Exercise for Cancer Patients

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02459769

56965

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to test preliminary efficacy, as well as acceptability and feasibility, of a dyadic exercise intervention, the current study will randomize LGBT cancer survivors and their non-professional caregivers as dyads to either an individual or a dyadic Exercise for Cancer Patients (EXCAP) intervention. The primary outcome assessed will be psychological distress. Analyses will involve pre-post comparisons of outcomes across the study arms, testing the hypothesis that a 6 week, daily, dyadic exercise intervention will result in greater improvements in psychological distress than an individual intervention.

Full description

The proposed randomized controlled trial aims to recruit 70 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) cancer survivors who have completed treatment (surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy) within the past 24 months, so as to have a final, evaluable sample of 60 LGBT survivors after attrition. The proposed RCT will also recruit caregivers (broadly defined) of the above cancer survivors. Each recruited cancer survivor will be asked to name a person who they feel provided care (emotional, informational, tangible, etc.) during their cancer experience, with no further strictures placed on this relationship in terms of type or duration. The caregiver will be approached to participate in the RCT. Thus the sample will consist of 70 LGBT survivors (60 evaluable) and their caregivers (140 individuals total/120 evaluable). Recruitment and primary analyses will specifically target the LGBT cancer survivor.

All data will be gathered from participants 21 years of age or older. Participants are cancer survivors who have completed treatments or caregivers of cancer survivors; both survivors and caregivers are able to read and understand English.

Enrollment: 140 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• (Survivors): To be included in the study, cancer survivors must:
• Have had a diagnosis of cancer (any cancer type excluding squamous and basal cell [skin cancers]) and have completed primary surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation (those on continued adjuvant treatment are still eligible),
• Identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, or have a same-sex romantic partner,
• Have a caregiver willing to participate in the study (defined as anyone who provided emotional support or tangible assistance during the survivors' cancer experience),
• Be able to read English,
• Be 21 years of age or older, and
• Give written informed consent.
• (Caregivers): Caregivers must:
• Be nominated by a cancer survivor,
• Be able to read English,
• Be 21 years of age or older,
• Give written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Have physical limitations (e.g., cardiorespiratory, orthopedic) contraindicating participating in a low- to moderate-intensity home-based walking and progressive resistance program and physical function testing, as assessed by their medical oncologist, their primary care physician, and/or the study medical monitor (or any of these three physicians' designees),
• For caregivers, be currently undergoing active treatment for cancer.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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140 participants in 2 patient groups

Dyadic Exercise Intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Progressive walking and resistance exercise treatment, prescribed to both cancer survivors and their caregivers (daily walking and 3 times/week resistance prescription for 6 weeks). Cancer survivor and caregiver are also asked to discuss ways they can support one another in a) remaining adherent to exercise, and b) dealing with stress, including LGBT-specific minority stress.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise for Cancer Patients

Individual Exercise Intervention

Other group

Description:

Progressive walking and resistance exercise treatment, prescribed solely to cancer survivors (daily walking and 3 times/week resistance prescription for 6 weeks). The caregiver is told not to change his/her exercise behavior in any way.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise for Cancer Patients