An interventional study of Adapted sport program based on fencing in Leukemia and Lymphoma, sponsored by University Hospital, Angers. Completed at 2 sites in France. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-28.
Sponsored by University Hospital, Angers · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
In 20 years, the prognosis of hematology patients has improved thanks to the development and adaptation of treatments and better risk management. However, medium and long-term complications of intensive treatments are common and remain a real public health problem. Indeed, intensive treatments associated with room confinement within a protected unit expose patients to physical deconditioning of multifactorial pathophysiological mechanisms. If this deconditioning is neglected, response to treatment, tolerance, quality of life and, in the longer term, survival will be impacted.
Several teams have demonstrated the feasibility and the benefits of physical support for patients with prolonged aplasia. These studies focused on peripheral stem cell allograft, which occur late in the treatment of acute leukemia. On the other hand, studies evaluating the benefits of physical support as soon as the diagnosis of acute leukemia is made and intensive treatments are started are rare. Implementing a adapted sport program from the diagnostic and throughout the course of treatment is therefore a worthwhile subject for research.
The adapted sport chosen was fencing because it responds to hematological problems. Fencing is adaptable without carrying or receiving blow, can be practiced standing up, in an armchair or in bed, involves praxis and concentration, and involves the whole body. It can be practiced individually or as part of a team, in a protected room or in a unit corridor. Fencing is a fighting sport and includes a psychological aspect, with a possible projection of a fight against the disease. In addition, fencing is carried out by a non-medical or paramedical practitioner, which can reinforce or recreate an image of normal activity. Finally, the attention required by listening to the fencing master and the necessary concentration unconsciously pushes the patient to "get out of his illness".
The aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility, throughout the care pathway, of an adapted sport program based on fencing in adult patients with hematological malignancies receiving intensive treatment, to reduce physical deconditioning.
5,441 studies on the registry are indexed under Leukemia; 636 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 80 is above the median of 38 across 4,247 interventional studies indexed under Leukemia.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Other: Adapted sport program based on fencing
This adapted sport program includes 3 to 5 sessions per week of adapted fencing (excluding weekends and public holidays), carried out either by a fencing master trained in adapted sport, or by an APA teacher trained in adapted fencing by the fencing master. Sessions can last from 10 to 30 minutes. The course of the session is validated by the fencing master and adapted to each patient. The limiting factors are taken into account, in order to direct towards a specific practice. The sessions are progressive with very short and varied sequences calling on the imagination and experience of the fencing masters.
Proportion of patients attending at least 50% of the schedulded lessons over the entire duration of the program
The proportion of patients attending at least 50% of the scheduled fencing lessons over the entire duration of the program will be used to evaluate the feasibility of the adapted sport program based on fencing.
Time frame: 1 year
Number of actual fencing lessons compared to number of scheduled fencing lessons
The comparison between the number of fencing lessons patients actually attended and the number of fencing lessons theoretically planned will be used to assess adherence to the adapted sport program.
Time frame: 1 year
Average duration of fencing lessons
The average duration of the program corresponds to the average duration of the adapted sport program for each participant in real-life conditions. It will be used to assess the adequacy of the theoretical modalities and the implementation of the program in real-life conditions .
Time frame: 1 year
Average duration of the program
The average duration of the program corresponds to the average duration of the adapted sport program for each participant in real-life conditions. It will be used to assess the adequacy of the theoretical modalities and the implementation of the program in real-life conditions .
Time frame: 1 year
Typology of patients attending at least 50% of the scheduled fencing lessons over the entire duration of the program
The typology of patients will be described according to pathology, age, co-morbidities, type of intensive chemotherapy, treatment phase (induction, consolidation, allograft, CAR-T cells)
Time frame: 1 year
Comparison between the EORTC-QLQC30 score obtained at inclusion and the score obtained at each prolonged hospitalization discharge and at 3 months, 6 months and 1
The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Cancer - C30 is used to assess the quality of life. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Cancer - C30 comprises 30 items. The 28 first items are constructed on a Likert scale with 4 response modalities (1 "Not at all" / 2 "A little" / 3 "Quite a lot" / 4 "A lot"), the modality 4 representing a high level of symptomatology / problems. The last two items are constructed on a 7-modality scale. These two items respectively assess overall health and overall quality of life, with response modality 1 corresponding to a "very poor" state, and response modality 7 to an "excellent" state.
Time frame: 1 year
Evolution of the distance covered in 6-minute walk test between inclusion and 6-month follow-up
The 6-minute walk test is used to assess functional exercise capacity of an individual. It measures the distance an individual is able to walk over a 6-minute period.
Time frame: 6 months
Evolution of the SPPB (Short Physical Performance Battery) score between inclusion and 6-month follow-up
The SPPB test is used to assess the physical performance of an individual. Il is the result of the scores of three criteria: the balance test, the walking speed test and the sit-to-stand test. The sum of the scores of all the tests gives an overall performance score.
Time frame: 6 months
Evolution of the upper limb grip strength measured by dynamometer between inclusion and 6-month follow-up
This test is used to measure muscle strength in the hand and forearm.
Time frame: 6 months
Plan to share: Yes — Data will be shared upon reasonable request. Only de-identified data will be shared. Any data collected during the study may be shared. The protocol will be shared initially. Other documents may be shared at a later date upon request (e.g., the CRF to allow a collaborator to select the data they wish to access). The recipients of the data will be researchers. The data will be available for any purpose deemed relevant by the study investigator, based on a protocol provided by the requester, after verification of the obtaining of regulatory approvals, including the favorable opinion of an ethics committee.
Supporting information: Study protocol
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is completed, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University Hospital, Angers