Sustainable Implementation of the EXCEL Exercise Oncology Program Across Canada

Summary

EXCEL will provide online and, where feasible, in-person exercise programs to individuals living with and beyond cancer (ILWBC). Research has shown that targeted programs that include tailored exercise prescriptions are more successful in helping individuals with chronic disease to incorporate physical activity and exercise into their daily routines. While ILWBC are advised by healthcare professionals (HCPs) to engage in exercise, there is a lack of cancer-specific exercise programs and cancer-trained exercise specialists in Canada, outside of the research setting. Considering the negative impact cancer and its treatments have on fitness and physical activity levels, community-based efforts towards improving access, uptake and maintenance of exercise programming are needed.

This study will evaluate the benefits of a community-based or online EXCEL exercise program for people living with and beyond cancer across Canada, using a streamlined intake process compared to the original EXCEL Study (HREBA.CC-20-0098, NCT04478851). This 8 to 12-week program (intervention) will be delivered in-person or over virtual platform. It includes twice weekly supervised exercise classes.

Conditions

• Cancer
• Prostate Cancers
• Breast Cancers
• Colon Cancer
• Lung Cancers

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Group Exercise Classes

Participants will take part in a combination of aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility exercises delivered in a circuit-type class setting, twice weekly for a 8-12-week period (duration of intervention depends on scheduling logistics for the coordinating hubs and their spokes sites). The exercise sessions will be conducted in groups with a ratio of up to 15 participants per instructor. The program follows exercise progression principles (i.e., frequency, intensity, time, type, overload and progression) over the 8-12-weeks, with tailoring of any exercise to meet individual participant needs as required, in order to promote fitness and wellness benefits.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Alberta

  collaborator OTHER

• Dalhousie University

  collaborator OTHER

• Nova Scotia Health Authority

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Toronto

  collaborator OTHER

• Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)

  collaborator OTHER

• University of British Columbia

  collaborator OTHER

• Memorial University of Newfoundland

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Prince Edward Island

  collaborator OTHER

• Alberta Health services

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Calgary

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Nicole Culos-Reed, PhD · University of Calgary

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-11

Primary Completion

2026-10-30

Completion

2026-11-30

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations