Exercise in Pediatric Cancer Patient Undergoing Anti-Cancer Treatment

Summary

Today about 80% childhood cancer patients become long-time survivors. In spite of the high cure rates the diagnosis cancer is associated with a variety of disease and treatment-related psychological and physical impairments mostly present into adulthood. So the attention has to focus on the improvement of these problems such as motor limitation, dysfunction of the cardiovascular system, reduced muscle strength, overweight, osteoporosis and diminished quality of life (Qol). Although exercisel intervention studies in this field are generally scarce, the results of these studies are promising. Up to now studies during the acute phase of treatment are missing almost completely. The aim of this feasibility study is to evaluate the potential benefits of a modular exercise intervention program for childhood cancer patients startunf in parallel with treatment and longlasting for one year. Across two years cancer patients of the Children's Hospital of the University Clinic of Heidelberg aged 5-21 years, free of any contraindications for physical activity will be recruited. All participants are asked to complete a physical assessment battery (strength, endurance and balance capacity, posture control, functional mobility, range of motion) and additionally two questionnaires concerning Qol and motivation, at baseline and every three months following one year

Conditions

• Childhood Cancer

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Multimodal Exercise Intervention

During their inpatient hospitalization the participants perform 3-5x weekly guided training sessions about 15-30min. The intervention includes: game console-based training using Nintendo Wii® (endurance, strength endurance and balance), age-specific resistance training and sessions of body awareness. During the outpatient phases the participants perform a home-based exercise training 3-5x weekly using a training manual. In addition, the patients obtain a movement diary and a pedometer for documenting their activity level.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital Heidelberg

  collaborator OTHER

• Heidelberg University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Leipzig

  collaborator OTHER

• Children's Medical Hospital, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  collaborator OTHER

• German Cancer Research Center

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Joachim Wiskemann, PhD · National Center for Tumor Diseases

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

5 Years

Max Age

21 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-05-31

Primary Completion

2018-12-31

Completion

2019-03-31

Countries

• Germany

Study Locations