A Phase 2 interventional study of Group Exercise Classes - Arm 1 and Group Exercise Classes - Arm 2 in Cancer and Colorectal Cancer, sponsored by University of Calgary. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by University of Calgary · Phase 2, Interventional, and Supportive care
The purpose of this pilot randomized, wait-list controlled study is to evaluate the effects of exercise dose in terms of frequency (1 vs. 2 days per week) in individuals on systemic treatment for colorectal cancer. The impact on the individual (physical function, quality of life, fatigue and other patient reported outcomes) as well as on health care utilization (cost to deliver, cost to individuals, savings and impact to the health care system) will be evaluated. In addition, assessments of immunological markers to better understand the biological impact of exercise dose on immunological markers will be explored.
Background and Rationale: There is a growing interest in optimizing exercise strategies that can enhance the well-being of individuals living with and beyond cancer (ILWBC). ILWBC frequently experience declines in physical function and QoL during and after treatment, and exercise is one of the few interventions consistently shown to address these challenges. This is of particular importance for individuals living with colorectal cancers, who face fluctuating treatment effects and often struggle to adhere to higher volumes of exercise. Many exercise oncology programs are standardized to reach guidelines levels of 90 or 150 minutes per week (ie, approximately 2-3 sessions/week), and this dose of exercise can impact both attendance (adherence to the sessions) as well as the effectiveness (outcomes, physical, fitness, and psychosocial). Questions thus remain about the most effective, practical, and sustainable "dose" - the frequency of supervised exercise - required to achieve meaningful benefits. In addition, there are questions of sustainability of delivering exercise within cancer care. The dose is thus a critical issue to examine, not only for feasibility of attendance by ILWBC and their anticipated benefits, but also in terms of the economics. There is a paucity of literature examining the economics of exercise dose (cost to deliver based on times per week), as well as a general lack of understanding the health economics (cost to deliver, cost to individuals, savings and impact on the cancer care system).
In Calgary, the principal investigator have developed the existing ACE program (now called the Thrive Cancer Exercise Program) which offers participants a 12-week exercise oncology program with 2 classes per week. The original ACE study, baseline characteristics, and initial examination of program impact highlight the value of the ACE exercise intervention for ILWBC. This published work has resulted in streamlining ACE to program implementation and evaluation (HREBA.CC-24-0252). With increased clinical referral, the waitlist to the ongoing Thrive Cancer Exercise Program is growing. There is thus a pragmatic need to establish the optimal dose of exercise, to determine if a sustainable model of one class per week is sufficient to garner potential benefits and meet the growing clinical demand, as well as optimize health care costs and savings.
Research Question and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of exercise dose in terms of frequencies (one vs. two days per week) in individuals on treatment for colorectal cancer. The impact not only on the individual (potential benefits of exercise), but also in terms of cost will be assessed. In addition, assessments of immunological markers, physical function, QoL, fatigue, symptoms and exercise experience will occur.
Methods: This RCT study is a three-arm, parallel-group trial delivered through the Thrive Cancer Exercise Program at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (ACCCC) Stride Centre and Rehab gym. Participants will be randomized (1:1:1) to: 1) Once/week (n = 30); 2) Twice/week for 12 weeks (n = 30); 3) Control-waitlisted to start Thrive Cancer Exercise Program after study completion (n = 30).
ACE-Dose classes will be delivered by Clinical Exercise Physiologists (CEPs) trained to lead high-risk participant classes. The program is a combination of aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility exercises delivered in group circuit-style class. The Thrive Cancer Exercise Program current infrastructure and referral process will be used.
Baseline, 12 weeks, 24 weeks and 52 weeks assessments will be done. The following information will be collected: 1) Attendance and Adverse event; 2) Health economics (work and productivity, time and income loss, informal care and daily impact, treatment attendance and travel, out-of-pocket costs, and medications and cost for cancer); 3) Bloodwork conducted by a phlebotomist to assess Immunological markers; 4) Patient-reported outcomes through standardized questionnaires (Quality of life, Fatigue, Symptom management, Exercise Barriers and Facilitators); 5) Physical activity \& function assessments (Subjective Physical activity level, Cardiorespiratory fitness, Musculoskeletal fitness, Flexibility, Balance, and Anthropometrics); 6) Garmin data (step counts per day and heart rate) to assess objective Physical Activity Level; 7) Qualitative interview on Program experience.
6,541 studies on the registry are indexed under Colorectal Neoplasms; 1,667 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 90 is above the median of 76 across 4,800 interventional studies indexed under Colorectal Neoplasms.
Browse Colorectal Neoplasms studies →University of Calgary is the lead sponsor of 703 studies on the registry; 196 are open to participants now.
Of its 10 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (20%) have results posted.
Compared within Colorectal Neoplasms, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Neoplasms. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adjuvant and neoadjuvant
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Arm 1 will be supervised by a CEP once a week (e.g. Tuesday or Thursday) at the ACCCC. The exercise program includes aerobic, strength and balance / flexibility exercises for 12 week.
Behavioral: Group Exercise Classes - Arm 1
Arm 2 will be supervised by a CEP twice a week (e.g. Tuesday and Thursday) at the ACCCC. The exercise program includes aerobic, strength and balance / flexibility exercises for 12 week.
Behavioral: Group Exercise Classes - Arm 2
Standard of care control-waitlisted group to start the Thrive program after 24 weeks on a voluntary basis
Interventional arm 1 complete the supervised 60-min exercise classes for 12 weeks at low-to-moderate intensity, progressing individually (warm-up, aerobic intervals, multi-joint resistance, balance/flexibility cool-down), once-weekly. Sessions are delivered in-person by a CEP at the ACCCC Stride Centre. Attendance, RPE, and any modifications/adverse events are logged each session. In addition to exercise, 5 behaviour components will be covered throughout the program using an "Exercise and Educate" model, to support behaviour change. The trained instructor will build a positive motivational climate utilizing training in health coaching and motivational interviewing.
Interventional arm 2 complete the supervised 60-min exercise classes for 12 weeks at low-to-moderate intensity, progressing individually (warm-up, aerobic intervals, multi-joint resistance, balance/flexibility cool-down), twice-weekly. Sessions are delivered in-person by a CEP at the ACCCC Stride Centre. Attendance, RPE, and any modifications/adverse events are logged each session. In addition to exercise, 5 behaviour components will be covered throughout the program using an "Exercise and Educate" model, to support behaviour change. The trained instructor will build a positive motivational climate utilizing training in health coaching and motivational interviewing.
Proportion of patients in the once per week and twice per week group that achieve an increase of ≥10 MET-h/wk of total physical activity level at 12 weeks.
To assess the dose-response effect of exercise frequency (once versus twice weekly) over a 12-week period on clinically meaningful improvements in physical activity level (≥10 MET-h/wk increase over baseline) in patients with early-stage CRC receiving systemic treatment, with the goal of identifying the minimal effective intervention frequency
Time frame: Single time point: 12 weeks
Number of participants with exercise-related adverse events with CTCAE standardized reports
To assess safety of the once per week versus twice per week supervised exercise
Time frame: From enrollment to 24 weeks
Difference in health economic and health care utilization between groups over 52 weeks
Indirect costs of cancer, work and productivity, time and income loss, informal care and daily impact, treatment attendance and travel, out-of-pocket costs, medications and cost for cancer treatment, emergency department admissions, and hospitalizations
Time frame: From enrollment to 52 weeks
Changes from baseline in the PROs at 12 weeks, and at 24- and 52-week follow-ups.
Assess changes in patient-reported outcomes (PROs) - including quality of life, functional abilities, cognitive function, well-being, fatigue, and symptoms - from the start of the study through the end of the intervention, and then at follow-up visits.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 52 weeks
Changes from baseline in anthropometric parameters and fitness level at 12 weeks, and at the 24- and 52-week follow-ups.
Assess changes in anthropometric parameters (height and weight) and physical fitness - including cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness, flexibility and balance - from the start of the study through the end of the intervention, and then at follow-up visits.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 52 weeks
Changes from baseline in objective physical activity level at 12 weeks, and at the 24-week follow-up.
Assess step count and heart rate, as per the Garmin fitness tracker watch data. Participants will be asked to wear the tracker for at least 10 hours per day for 24 weeks, unless the device is charging.
Time frame: From enrollment to 24 weeks
Participant experience and perceived tolerability of the ACE-dose program at 12 weeks
Assess participant experience of the ACE-dose program, including overall experience and manageability and tolerability of treatment-related side effects during the program with semi-structured interviews at 12 weeks.
Time frame: Single time point: 12 weeks
Changes from baseline in immunologic parameters at 8 weeks and 12-week follow-up.
Explore biologic mechanisms of exercise through changes in peripheral immune cell composition, particularly T-cell subsets. These endpoints may clarify whether exercise dose is associated with immunologic changes relevant to CRC outcomes and patient-reported benefit.
Time frame: From enrollment to 8 and 12 weeks
Plan to share: No — No plan at this time to share IPD outside of research team
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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