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NCT Number: NCT06960291

Sustainable Implementation of the EXCEL Exercise Oncology Program Across Canada

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Cancer Behavior Breast Cancers Breast Diseases Breast Neoplasms Colon Cancer Colonic Diseases Colonic Neoplasms Colorectal Neoplasms Digestive System Diseases Digestive System Neoplasms Gastrointestinal Diseases Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Genital Diseases Genital Diseases, Male Genital Neoplasms, Male Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Neoplasms Lung Cancers Lung Diseases Lung Neoplasms Male Urogenital Diseases Motor Activity Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Prostate Cancers Prostatic Diseases Prostatic Neoplasms Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Neoplasms Skin Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Thoracic Neoplasms Urogenital Diseases Urogenital Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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About this study

Over the past 4.5 years, the EXCEL Study (HREBA.CC-20-0098, NCT04478851) has been implemented across Canada and has recruited over 1500 individuals living with and beyond cancer. This updated study will streamline the program to essential baseline screening and testing (for safe and effective program delivery), simplify outcome assessments (for participants to see changes and for program evaluation), and increase the reach to include more urban centres to encourage more healthcare provider (HCP) buy-in with a simplified referral process (i.e. no patient screening required from HCPs to determine eligibility, based on location). This updated program is based off of the Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE) Program (HREBA.CC-24-0252). Thus, we are modifying the original EXCEL ethics to will reduce the participant burden with less patient-reported-outcomes and fewer follow-ups, which will allow more focus on program implementation, evaluation, and sustainability. Continued effort and training to establish the clinic-to-community model will be enhanced with stronger relationships and referrals from the cancer care system and the HCPs, which will continue to work towards a 'patient-centered care approach'.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • have or had a diagnosis of cancer;
  • be 18 years or older;
  • be able to participate in low-intensity levels of activity, at minimum;
  • be pretreatment, or receiving active cancer treatment (i.e., surgery, systemic therapy and radiation therapy), have received cancer treatment within the past 3 years, or if beyond 3 years since treatment completion, have a referral from their healthcare team indicating they have side effects from cancer treatment or the cancer itself, that could be improved or managed with exercise;
  • be able to provide informed written consent in English or French

Exclusion criteria

  • does not or did not have a cancer diagnosis
  • is under the age of 18
  • is unable to participate in mild exercise, at minimum
  • is not pretreatment, or receiving active cancer treatment (i.e., surgery, systemic therapy and radiation therapy), has not received cancer treatment within the past 3 years, or if beyond 3 years since treatment completion, doesn't have side effects from cancer treatment or the cancer itself, that could be improved or managed with exercise
  • unable to read/write in English
  • for online programs, does not have internet or computer access

Treatment and study plan

Group Exercise Classes

Behavioral

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Physical Activity Level

    Time frame: Baseline to one year

    The Modified Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire is used to determine subjective levels of physical activity in each participant.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cancer related symptoms

    Time frame: Baseline to one year

    Change in Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale - revised: cancer. Scale is from 0-10, where 0 means the symptom is absent and 10 means the worst possible severity of the symptom is being experienced.

  2. Cost-effectiveness

    Time frame: Baseline to one year

    Change in EuroQual - 5Dimensions (EQ-5D) tool - first section is a questionnaire; last section uses a scale from 0-100, where 0 means the worst health imaginable and 100 means the best health imaginable.

  3. Fatigue

    Time frame: Baseline to one year

    Change in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue subscale - scale is from 0-4, where 0 means "not at all" and 4 means "very much".

  4. Quality of life

    Time frame: Baseline to one year

    Single-item measure on quality of life - scale from 0 to 100, where 100 means the best Quality of Life imaginable and 0 means the worst Quality of Life imaginable.

  5. Body Composition

    Time frame: Baseline to 12-weeks

    Change in body mass index (BMI)

  6. Aerobic Capactiy

    Time frame: Baseline to 12-weeks

    Change in 6-minute walk test (m) or 2 minute step test (steps) results

  7. Lower body strength

    Time frame: Baseline to 12-weeks

    Change in sit-to-stand (number of repetitions in 30 seconds)

  8. Upper extremity flexibility

    Time frame: Baseline to 12-weeks

    Change in active shoulder flexion range of motion (degrees)

  9. Balance

    Time frame: Baseline to 12-weeks

    Change in one legged stance test (seconds)

  10. Exercise adherence

    Time frame: Duration of the intervention (8-12 week exercise program)

    Adherence to exercise programming (attendance at sessions)

  11. Program implementation and evaluation

    Time frame: Baseline to one year

    RE-AIM: program reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Georgia Kaluznick

CONTACT

[email protected]

403-210-8482

Julianna Dreger, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(403) 210-8482

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Calgary

Other

Collaborators

  • Alberta Health services
  • Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
  • Dalhousie University
  • Memorial University of Newfoundland
  • Nova Scotia Health Authority
  • University of Alberta
  • University of British Columbia
  • University of Prince Edward Island
  • University of Toronto

Registry information

Acronym: EXCEL

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 7, 2025
Registry last updated
Oct 7, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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