Effectiveness of an Aerobic Exercise Program in Cancer Survivors.

Effectiveness of a Structured Aerobic Exercise Program in Cancer Survivors - A Pilot Study

A prospective study of cancer survivor patients enrolling in a pilot aerobic exercise program. The total enrollment will be fifteen patients. The study timeline includes a screening period of 4 weeks, baseline period of 2 weeks, and active study intervention for 12 weeks. Study enrollment will continue until all 15 subjects are enrolled or up to 12 months, whichever comes first.

Study Population: Adult cancer survivors within one year of completing cancer-directed therapy.

Study Objective: To determine the feasibility of a prescription exercise program in a cancer survivor population

Specific Objectives:

1. Quantify the number of patients who successfully enroll and complete the Program.
2. Determine a preliminary benefit, if any, of the program with regard to biometric parameters (change in systolic blood pressure, BMI, body composition, average step count, VO2 max), laboratory parameters (Hgb A1c, CRP, Lipid Profile, IL-6, Apolipoprotein B, Vitamin D-25-OH, Vitamin B12 and Folate), patient-reported wellness surveys (SEE, SRQ, Sleep Surveys).

Study Endpoints/Outcomes:

A. Percentage of participants who complete the Program. B. Change in systolic blood pressure C. Change in BMI D. Change in body composition E. Change in Average daily step count F. Change in predicted VO2 max F. Change in participant-reported wellness surveys (SEE, SRQ, and Sleep Surveys) G. Change in Circumference measurements (hip, waist, and neck) H. Improvement in laboratory parameters (Hgb A1c, CRP, Lipid profile, IL-6, Alipoprotein B, Vitamin D-25-OH, Vitamin B12, Folate) I. Cancer recurrence

Sample Size: Fifteen subjects

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (>18 yr.) cancer survivor patients who completed treatment within the past year and are able to physically participate in the interventional aerobic exercise program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-ambulatory individuals
• Inability to communicate in English
• Lack of transportation to/from appointments (Of note, language and transportation exclusion criteria are based on practical needs for this pilot study. If effective, services would be open to a broader array of patients).
• On medications (e.g., Ozempic, Tirzepatide) which induce prolonged weight loss.
• Patients who received cancer-directed therapy within the past month.