Late-effects of Childhood Cancer Clinical Trial
Official title:
Effects of a 1-year Partially Supervised Exercise Program in Childhood Cancer Survivors - a Randomized Controlled Trial
Exercise can play a major role to mitigate or even prevent late effects in cancer survivors,
such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, fatigue, depression, reduced quality
of life, mental health and physical performance.
The objective of this study is to assess the effect of an exercise program of 1 year on
cardiovascular health, obesity and diabetes, osteoporosis, physical fitness, mental health
and quality of life in childhood cancer survivors. The investigators will recruit childhood
cancer survivors aged 16 years and above from three Swiss paediatric oncology clinics and
randomize them into an intervention and a control group. The intervention group will be asked
to increase physical activity for 1 year by at least 2.5 hours of intense physical activity
weekly. Regular feedback will be given via a step counter, an online activity diary, and by
the centre staff. The control group participants will keep their activity level constant. All
participants will be seen after 3, 6 and 12 months to assess health and quality of life
parameters over one year. After 1 year, the control group is offered to receive the same
intervention to profit as well from an active lifestyle.
If the program shows to be effective, a complete package will become available to interested
centres treating paediatric cancer patients in Switzerland to promote exercise in all
survivors. The program will allow clinicians without previous experience in exercise
counselling to improve the care of their patients.
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