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RecruitingNCT07531836PREHAB-BC65Updated Apr 15, 2026

Multicomponent Prehabilitation in Older Adults With Breast Cancer

An interventional study of Home-based Multicomponent Prehabilitation (Vivifrail) and Supervised Multicomponent Prehabilitation in Breast Cancer, Frailty and Sarcopenia, sponsored by Fundacion Miguel Servet. Recruiting at 1 site in Spain. Open to participants aged 65 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-15.

Sponsored by Fundacion Miguel Servet · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
90
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
65 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Older adults with breast cancer frequently present with frailty, decreased functional reserve, and increased risk of postoperative complications. Prehabilitation programs have emerged as a promising strategy to improve physical function and clinical outcomes; however, evidence in geriatric oncology remains limited, particularly regarding the role of biological markers in predicting response to such interventions.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent prehabilitation program in older adults with breast cancer, focusing on functional status, clinical outcomes, and quality of life. In addition, the study seeks to characterize biological markers associated with frailty and treatment response, with the goal of identifying potential predictors of benefit from prehabilitation.

Participants will undergo a structured prehabilitation intervention including physical exercise, nutritional optimization, and comprehensive geriatric assessment. Clinical, functional, and biomarker data will be collected longitudinally.

The results of this study may contribute to improving personalized care strategies in geriatric oncology and to identifying patients who are most likely to benefit from prehabilitation programs.

Read the detailed description

This study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent prehabilitation program in older adults with breast cancer, incorporating biological characterization to explore predictors of treatment response.

The trial will be conducted at the Navarre University Hospital (Pamplona, Spain). A total of 90 ambulatory patients aged 65 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer will be recruited and randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to usual care, a home-based multicomponent exercise program based on the Vivifrail methodology, or a supervised hospital-based intervention.

All participants will undergo baseline frailty screening followed by a comprehensive geriatric assessment to characterize functional, cognitive, nutritional, and clinical status. Assessments will be repeated at predefined time points throughout the perioperative period and during follow-up.

The intervention is structured into preoperative and postoperative phases and includes individualized multicomponent exercise, nutritional optimization, and targeted management of geriatric syndromes. The hospital-based intervention consists of supervised sessions over eight weeks, while the home-based intervention is adapted to baseline functional status.

Clinical, functional, and biological data will be collected longitudinally to evaluate the impact of the intervention and to identify predictors of clinical outcomes and treatment response.

02

Conditions studied

  • Breast Cancer
  • Frailty
  • Sarcopenia
  • Aging
  • Functional Decline

Keywords

  • Prehabilitation
  • Geriatric Oncology
  • Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
  • Exercise Intervention
  • Vivifrail
  • Older Adults
  • Biomarkers
  • Functional Status
  • Quality of Life
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
65 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥65 years
  • Diagnosis of cancer requiring elective surgery with curative intent
  • Candidate for prehabilitation program before surgery
  • Ability to walk (with or without assistive devices)
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Urgent or emergency surgery
  • Severe cognitive impairment precluding participation in the intervention
  • Severe functional dependency (e.g., bedridden patients)
  • Medical contraindication to physical exercise
  • Life expectancy \<3 months
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
90 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • No intervention
    Usual Care

    Participants receive standard clinical care according to routine practice, including management by oncology and surgical teams. Identified geriatric conditions are communicated to the treating physician for appropriate management.

  • Experimental
    Home-based Multicomponent Prehabilitation (Vivifrail)

    Participants perform a home-based multicomponent exercise program based on the Vivifrail methodology, including strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility training. The program is tailored according to baseline functional status and supported by caregiver supervision. Participants also receive comprehensive geriatric assessment and nutritional optimization.

    Behavioral: Home-based Multicomponent Prehabilitation (Vivifrail) · Other: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and Optimization

  • Experimental
    Supervised Multicomponent Prehabilitation

    Participants receive a supervised multicomponent exercise program delivered in the hospital setting, including aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility training over eight weeks. The intervention is combined with comprehensive geriatric assessment, nutritional optimization, and individualized management of geriatric syndromes.

    Behavioral: Supervised Multicomponent Prehabilitation · Other: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and Optimization

Interventions

  • BehavioralHome-based Multicomponent Prehabilitation (Vivifrail)

    Participants perform a structured home-based multicomponent exercise program based on the Vivifrail methodology, including strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility training. The program is individualized according to baseline functional status.

  • BehavioralSupervised Multicomponent Prehabilitation

    Participants receive a structured, supervised multicomponent exercise program delivered in a hospital setting, including aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility training over eight weeks.

  • OtherComprehensive Geriatric Assessment and Optimization

    Participants undergo comprehensive geriatric assessment with targeted interventions including nutritional optimization, medication review, and management of geriatric syndromes.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in physical function assessed by Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)

    Physical function will be assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), a validated tool in older adults (score range 0-12, higher scores indicate better performance). The primary outcome will be the change in SPPB score from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention.

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 weeks (end of prehabilitation program)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Incidence of postoperative complications

    Occurrence of postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery, classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification.

    Time frame: Within 30 days after surgery

  2. Length of hospital stay

    Number of days from surgery to hospital discharge.

    Time frame: From date of surgery until hospital discharge, with a maximum follow-up of 30 days postoperatively

  3. Functional decline after surgery

    Functional decline defined as a decrease in the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score (range 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating better physical performance) or loss of independence in activities of daily living compared to baseline.

    Time frame: Baseline to 30 days after surgery

  4. Health-related quality of life

    Health-related quality of life assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30; scores transformed to a 0-100 scale, where higher scores indicate better functioning or worse symptoms depending on the domain).

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 weeks and 30 days post-surgery

  5. Adherence to the intervention

    Percentage of prescribed exercise sessions completed by participants.

    Time frame: During the 8-week intervention period

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Hospital Universitario de Navarra
    Pamplona, Navarre 31008, Spain
    • Marta Lorente Escudero, MD · Contact · marta.lorente.escudero@navarra.es · +34 648148503
    • Nicolás Martínez Velilla, MD, PhD · Contact · nicolas.martinez.velilla@navarra.es · +34 670900434
    • Nicolás Martínez Velilla, MD, PhD · Principal investigator
    • Bernardo Abel Cedeño Veloz, MD, PhD · Sub investigator
    • Susana de la Cruz Sánchez, MD · Sub investigator
    • Sara Esteban Gordillo, MD · Sub investigator
    • Natalia Moras Pérez, MD · Sub investigator
    • Fabricio Zambom Ferraresi, PhD · Sub investigator
    • Marta Lorente Escudero, MD · Sub investigator
    • Lucía Lozano Vicario, MD, PhD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Welch SA, Ward RE, Beauchamp MK, Leveille SG, Travison T, Bean JF. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB): A Quick and Useful Tool for Fall Risk Stratification Among Older Primary Care Patients. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2021 Aug;22(8):1646-1651. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.09.038. Epub 2020 Nov 13. PubMed 33191134 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared due to data protection regulations and institutional policies. De-identified data may be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to ethical approval and data sharing agreements.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07531836
Lead sponsor
Fundacion Miguel Servet
Responsible party
Nicolás Martínez Velilla (Principal Investigator, MD, PhD, Fundacion Miguel Servet) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 15, 2026
Start date
Dec 4, 2024
Primary completion
Sep 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Aug 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Apr 15, 2026

Study contacts

Marta Lorente Escudero, MD
Contact
marta.lorente.escudero@navarra.es
+34 648148503
Nicolás Martínez Velilla, PhD
Contact
nicolas.martinez.velilla@navarra.es
+34 670900434
Marta Lorente Escudero, MD
study director · Navarre Health Service (SNS-O), Navarre University Hospital (HUN), Pamplona, Spain

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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