Abstract P1-17-14: Physical activity platform to improve bone health in cancer survivors

Abstract

Abstract Cancer treatment-induced bone loss and the subsequent risk of fractures in both men and women is a significant burden on national health care. The number of cancer survivors in the United States will reach 18 million by 2022 and by 2025, the projected burden of osteoporosis is $25.3 billion. Cancer patients treated with medications that lower hormone levels face an increased risk of fractures. Clinical studies report that moderate- intensity resistance exercises prevent a decline in bone health in female cancer survivors, and that strength training may reduce complications associated with cancer such as fatigue, muscle wasting, and bone loss. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of female cancer survivors engage in and adhere to a strength training exercise routine. Several factors account for this low level of engagement such as poor awareness of the benefits of exercise, lack of motivation, and the lack of affordable and easily accessible exercise programs designed for cancer survivors. Internet-based self-managed programs of exercises and guidance can potentially address these problems, and can be scaled for broader dissemination. The Thrivors™ internet-based platform seeks to shift the current paradigm of poor adherence to exercise by providing an affordable and accessible means of improving outcomes for cancer survivors. The product, Thrivors plus Bone Health (Thrivors+BH), will be a first-of-its-kind offering of clinically validated bone health exercises that can be customized to a cancer survivor's pain and energy levels, with several novel interactive feedback features. The product has supportive modules for connecting with a community of other users, mindfulness training, nutritional advice and a repository of educational information. The Thrivors™ platform is scalable, device-agnostic, and allows analysis of de-identified usage data. With commercialization potential for healthcare providers and health insurance payers, Thrivors™ provides a value-based care delivery model focused on outcomes. There are multiple important physiologic and psychosocial secondary conditions that could be positively impacted by the Thrivors™ platform. For this specific clinical trial, we focus on adherence to bone health exercises. Investigators: Cathy Skinner, MA - CEO and Founder, Thrivors (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyskinner/) Doug Yee, MD - Director of the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota (https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-yee-50402a14/) Kerri Winters-Stone, PhD - Professor, OHSU (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerriwintersstone/) Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH - Professor, Penn State - (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-schmitz-32a3891b/) Citation Format: Cathy Skinner. Physical activity platform to improve bone health in cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-17-14.