The Effects of Exercise Training on the Health-related Fitness of Colon Cancer Survivors

The Effects of Exercise Training on the Health-related Fitness of Colon Cancer Survivors: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Recent studies have suggested that individuals diagnosed with colon cancer who are inactive and/or overweight, may have poorer survival outcomes. Exercise training has been shown to improve fitness and body composition in other cancer survivor groups. The investigators hypothesize that an exercise training program will be a safe, feasible, and effective intervention to improve the fitness and body composition of a group of colon cancer survivors.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically confirmed Stage II or III colon cancer diagnosis
• Less than or equal to 1 year since the completion of all adjuvant treatment
• Negative Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) or completed Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (PARmed-X) form
• 18 years of age or older
• Ability to understand and provide written informed consent in English
• Willingness to be randomized
• Willingness to complete outcome measures at each assessment time point
• Available for the duration of study intervention period
• Able to travel to our fitness centre 3/week for the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any absolute contraindication to to exercise testing or training
• Evidence of active disease (metastatic, recurrent, or unresectable colon cancer)
• Any uncontrolled medical condition or psychiatric illness that would prevent completion of the exercise program or interfere with the study assessments