Exercising Right for Bowel Cancer

Interventions: There will be two groups of participants, Home Exercise and Usual Care. Participants in both groups will be screened for risk to participate in exercise testing by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and be asked standardised questions about their health history related to their current medical condition. Surveys and questionnaires are: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires (QLQ-CR29 and QLQ-CR30), The Active Australia questionnaire, The Exercise Confidence Survey, The Cancer Fatigue Scale, and the CSIRO Health Diet Score. Then, if safe to proceed, each participant will undertake an assessment of their body composition (height, weight and body mass index), cardiovascular measures (blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation), and physical fitness (a Six Minute Walk test, a handgrip test, and a 30 second sit-to-stand test). These assessments will be undertaken by all participants, by the same AEP research assistant at baseline (before any intervention), and follow up after an 8 week intervention period.
Participants in both groups will be given information handouts at the baseline session on exercising right for bowel cancer, eating well with bowel cancer, and looking after your bowel. These baseline information handouts are publicly available from advocacy websites located:
- Exercising and Colon Cancer can be found at Exercise is Medicine -
http://exerciseismedicine.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2014-Colon-Cancer-FULL.pdf
- Eating well with Bowel Cancer located at: http://www.mediafire.com/download/29q69ghc92nu6lk/Eating_Well_Living_with_Bowel_Cancer_Bowel_Cancer_Australia.pdf
- Looking after your bowel can be found at: https://www.continence.org.au/download_attachment.php/72e6c1218d4a5a359ad08be1dcef0f5f/01tA0000001b1daIAA/00PG0000003NBs6MAG/looking-after-your-bowel-booklet.pdf
People volunteering to join the Home Exercise group w
Primary outcome(s): Feasibility and acceptability:
Semi-structured interview questions & discussion groups:
Three-to-four participants in the Exercise Group will be sought with an ‘opt in’ approach, to attend a pre (baseline timepoint) and a post (follow up timepoint) discussion session where a study investigator experienced in qualitative research methods will explore and record conversations on participant knowledge, attitudes and beliefs around the use of technology to support lifestyle changes.. Pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interview questions will guide small group discussions. [Home Exercise Group ONLY
Baseline and (post 8 week intervention) Follow up time points];Physical Function:
The Six Minute Walk Test
The six-minute walk test will be used as the primary measure of physical function. This test requires minimal equipment and is quick and easy to conduct, with walking distance of less than 350m being predictive of increased cardiovascular mortality risk. Participants will be instructed to walk as far as possible along a short measured course during the six minutes. They will be permitted to stop and rest if needed and will receive regular encouragement throughout the test. The 6MWT is a reliable and valid measure of physical function in adults with chronic disease and will be delivered according to standardised operating procedures
Rasekaba, T., et al., The six-minute walk test: a useful metric for the cardiopulmonary patient. Intern Med J, 2009. 39(8): p. 495-501.
Harada, N.D., V. Chiu, and A.L. Stewart, Mobility-related function in older adults: assessment with a 6-minute walk test. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 1999. 80(7): p. 837-41
[Home Exercise Group and Usual Care Group
Baseline and (post 8 week intervention) Follow up time points];Quality of Life
Health related quality of life will be assessed using the validated European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire QLQ-CR-30 questionnaire validated for people with colorectal cancer
Aaronson, N.K., et al., The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30: a quality-of-life instrument for use in international clinical trials in oncology. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1993. 85(5): p. 365-76.[Home Exercise Group and Usual Care Group
Baseline and (post 8 week intervention) Follow up time points]
Study Design: Purpose: Educational / counselling / training; Allocation: Non-randomised trial; Masking: Open (masking not used);Assignment: Parallel;Type of endpoint: Efficacy