Abstract
Introduction: As both the number of cancer survivors and the length of survival time are increasing, long-term health issues related to cancer and its treatment are becoming more prevalent. Research suggests that exercise can mitigate several negative health consequences in cancer survivors and improve physical function and quality of life. Multi-modal exercise interventions have been proposed as a cornerstone for survivorship care. However, studies evaluating exercise programmes within the Irish population are lacking. Purpose: To evaluate the introduction, implementation and acceptability of a multi-modal exercise rehabilitation programme for deconditioned cancer survivors in a real-world, standard practice setting. Methods and analysis: In this single-arm prospective feasibility study, cancer survivors (n=40) will undergo a 10-week multi-modal exercise programme. The study population will comprise of cancer survivors attending outpatient services in an Irish national cancer centre. Participants will be aged 18 or older and have completed treatment with curative intent. Feasibility will be evaluated in terms of recruitment, adherence and compliance to the programme. Secondary outcomes will examine physical function and quality of life measures. In addition, the acceptability of the programme will be assessed through patient feedback. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval through the St. James’s Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital Research and Ethics Committee is currently pending. The study results will be used to optimise the intervention content and may serve as the foundation for a larger definitive trial. Results will be disseminated through peer-review journals, congresses and relevant clinical groups. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04026659 (19/07/19)
Highlights
As both the number of cancer survivors and the length of survival time are increasing, long-term health issues related to cancer and its treatment are becoming more prevalent
Numerous systematic reviews demonstrate that exercise can mitigate a number of these factors in cancer survivors and improve quality of life, fatigue, physical function and cardiorespiratory fitness and can optimise functional status, preserving the ability to remain in the workforce and fulfil other life roles (Courneya & Friedenreich, 1999; Galvão & Newton, 2005; McNeely et al, 2006)
Models of cancer survivorship care have been developing rapidly in recent years, many centring on the provision of exercise rehabilitation programmes across diverse delivery settings (Oeffinger & McCabe, 2006)
Summary
As both the number of cancer survivors and the length of survival time are increasing, long-term health issues related to cancer and its treatment are becoming more prevalent. With advances in early detection and treatment of cancer in the context of an aging population, by 2020 1 in 2 Irish people will be a cancer survivor (Department of Health, 2017). As both the number of cancer survivors and the length of survival time are increasing, long-term health complications related to cancer treatment are becoming more prevalent (Miller et al, 2016; Rowland & Bellizzi, 2014). The statements of “implementation of the programme would be a large step towards integration of exercise rehabilitation into survivorship services” is a big leap, considering that this is a onearmed pilot study to assess the feasibility of the proposed intervention. Please amend this statement to better reflect the potential impact of the proposed intervention on survivorship care.
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