Self-Monitoring Physical Activity With a Smartphone Application and Physiotherapy Coaching in Cancer Patients. (SMART-COACH)

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cancer

Treatments: Other: RunKeeper app + physiotherapy coaching; Other: Usual care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03128333

201600902

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to examine whether self-monitoring PA with the RunKeeper app with additional physiotherapy coaching is superior in improving patients' self-reported leisure-time PA compared with usual care in cancer patients after 12 weeks.

This is a single-center, prospective, two-armed, randomized controlled trial. Adult cancer patients and cancer survivors are randomized in one of the two study arms, (Group A) RunKeeper app + physiotherapy coaching or (Group B) usual care.

Patients assigned to the intervention group will be instructed to use the RunKeeper app for 12 weeks to self-monitor leisure-time PA. In addition, patients will be educated about the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, inactivity and (when applicable) other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g. unhealthy diet, overweight or obesity, sun exposure, alcohol intake). Benefits of a behavior change, becoming physically active and pursuing a healthy lifestyle will be explained by a trained physiotherapist who will also coach the patient during the PA program. The biweekly physiotherapy coaching starts at baseline and will follow a structured sequence of strategies to change patients PA behavior which will contribute to the adoption of leisure-time PA in patients daily living, so the program will be optimally tailored to the patients capabilities and preferences.

The primary endpoint is to examine the effectiveness of the RunKeeper use with additional physiotherapy coaching in improving patients' leisure-time PA compared with usual care in cancer patients as measured by the PASE subscale leisure-time Sum Score at baseline, 6, 12 and 26 weeks.

Enrollment: 63 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients >18 years of age diagnosed with cancer (regardless of type/taxonomy) at the medical oncology department, UMCG
• Patients undergoing cancer treatment or surveillance
• WHO-performance score ≤1
• Signed informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to read or understand the Dutch language
• Inability to handle or not in possession of a smartphone (iPhone ≥4 or Android phones)
• Active user of the RunKeeper app
• Severe cardiac (recent cardiovascular event) or psychiatric disease
• Patients following supervised oncologic rehabilitation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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63 participants in 2 patient groups

RunKeeper app + physiotherapy coaching

Experimental group

Description:

Group A will use the RunKeeper app for half a year to self-monitor leisure-time PA. Besides, patients are requested to activate the 'training reminder' option in the RunKeeper app, which is all explained in a brief user's manual. In addition, patients will be educated about the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, inactivity and (when applicable) other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g. unhealthy diet, overweight or obesity, sun exposure, alcohol intake). Benefits of a behavior change, becoming physically active and pursuing a healthy lifestyle will be explained by a trained physiotherapist who will also coach the patient during the PA program.

Treatment:

Other: RunKeeper app + physiotherapy coaching

usual care

Other group

Description:

In the UMCG, patients who receive cancer treatment or in surveillance after treatment are normally advised to live healthy, stay active, and to maintain their weight.

Treatment:

Other: Usual care