Skip to content

Precision-exercise-prescription for Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Surgery: The PEP Study

A Phase III Randomized Study Comparing the Effects of a Personalized Exercise Program (PEP) Against No Intervention in Patients With Stage I-IIIa Primary Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or Secondary Lung Cancer Undergoing Surgical Resection

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03306992
Acronym
PEP
Enrollment
182
Registered
2017-10-11
Start date
2017-11-07
Completion date
2022-05-31
Last updated
2026-06-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, Secondary Lung Cancer

Keywords

Exercise

Brief summary

This is a Phase 3 study aimed at investigating the effects of a personalized exercise program (PEP) in NSCLC patients (stage I, II, IIIa) and secondary lung cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment at the University of Utah and comparing the intervention to the current standard of care (no exercise program).

Detailed description

This is a Phase 3 study aimed at investigating the effects of a personalized exercise program (PEP) in NSCLC patients (stage I, II, IIIa) and secondary lung cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment at the University of Utah and comparing the intervention to the current standard of care (no exercise program). Eligible patients will be randomized between two arms (1:1 ratio) prior to the surgery and will be followed for approximately 6 months post-surgery: * An Intervention Arm (referred to in materials as Group 1) which features pre- and post-surgery PEP interventions. * A Control Arm (referred to in materials as Group 2) which does not include a personalized exercise program (the standard of care). Patients randomized to the Control Arm will be given the opportunity to participate in a PEP-intervention session providing exercise counseling after the 6 month assessment and will receive a free activity tracker for their participation.

Interventions

The PEP intervention involves a combination of home-based exercise as well as in-patient exercise. The exercise modes will include basic transfer and calisthenics mobility, aerobic and resistance exercises and will be performed in various postures (supine, sitting, standing and walking) with variable challenges (level walking, bending, inclines, steps and squatting). For patients randomized to the Intervention Group (Group 1), the PEP intervention will be personalized, implemented, and modified (based on the patients AM-PAC mobility stage) by a licensed physical therapist in face-to-face, virtual, or phone meetings (\~30-40 minutes). An exercise education manual, specifically developed for this study, will be used by the physical therapist to educate the patients on all aspects of starting and maintaining the exercise intervention.

Sponsors

University of Utah
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Male or female subject aged ≥ 18 years. * Suspected (per the treating physician) diagnosis of primary lung cancer stage I, II, or IIIa OR secondary lung cancer. * Disease amenable to surgical resection in the opinion of the treating surgeon. * Patients must be able to follow directions and complete questionnaires and exercise diaries in English. * Patients must agree to be randomly assigned to either Intervention or Control Group.

Exclusion criteria

* Deemed ineligible for surgery by the enrolling physician * Abnormalities on screening physical exam judged by study physicians or supervising physical therapist to contraindicate participation in exercise program compliance. * Alcohol or drug abuse as judged by study physicians. * Significant mental or emotional problems that would interfere with study participation will be assessed by the NCCN Distress Thermometer. Any value higher than 7 will trigger further intervention, but ultimately enrollment into the clinical trial will be determined by the enrolling physician.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mobility Performance - Six Minute Walk (6MW) DistanceHospital Discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study therapy), 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months after the initiation of the study therapy), and 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months after the initiation of study therapy)Six Minute Walk (6MW) distance is the distance patients can walk indoors on a 25-meter level, smooth-surfaced track over the course of 6 minutes. This outcome will report the mean 6MW distance at hospital discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study intervention), at the 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months from the initiation of the study intervention), and at the 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months from the initiation of the study intervention).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Evaluate the Change Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) ScoreHospital Discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study therapy), 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months after the initiation of the study therapy), and 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months after the initiation of study therapy)This outcome will report the results from the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). This secondary outcome measure is associated with the evaluation of improvement in physical performance is the result of the short physical performance battery test. The SPPB score (ranging from 0 to 12) will be obtained for each patient at the time points described above. A score of 0 indicates the worst performance, and a score of 12 indicates the best performance. This outcome will report median SPPB scores at hospital discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study intervention), at the 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months from the initiation of the study intervention), and at the 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months from the initiation of the study intervention).
FACT-L (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung) QuestionnaireHospital Discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study therapy), 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months after the initiation of the study therapy), and 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months after the initiation of the study therapy)The FACT-L (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung) questionnaire assesses health-related quality of life (QOL). Total scores range from 0-136, with lower scores representing worse QOL and higher scores representing better QOL. This outcome measure will report mean FACT-L total scores at Hospital Discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study therapy), 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months after the initiation of the study therapy), and 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months after the initiation of the study therapy).
Fatigue Subscale (FS)Hospital Discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study therapy), 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months after the initiation of the study therapy), and 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months after the initiation of study therapy)This outcome will report the results of the Fatigue Subscale (FS) from the FACIT-F (Chronic Illness Fatigue Scale) questionnaire. The FACIT-F is a self-reported evaluation of fatigue in cancer patients. This questionnaire has patients rank statements regarding physical well-being, social/family well-being, emotional well-being, functional well-being, and additional concerns from 0 Not at All to 4 Very Much. This outcome will report the FS score from the FACIT-F. The FS has a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 52; the higher the score the better the Quality of Life (QOL). The FS Score is calculated from 13 survey items. Individual items that were "reverse items" (meaning a high value indicates poor QOL) were subtracted from 4. Then all "reverse items" and normal items were added together to calculate the FS score. This assessment was scored according to the FACIT-F Scoring Guidelines (Version 4).
BREQ-3 (Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 3) QuestionnaireHospital Discharge (up to 38 days after the initiation of the study therapy), 2-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 5 months after the initiation of the study therapy), and 6-Month Post Surgery Visit (up to 9 months after the initiation of study therapy)This outcome will report the results of the BREQ-3. The questionnaire has 24 items, each item ranging from 0 "Not True for Me" to 4 "Very True for Me". This questionnaire will report 6 sub-scores, Amotivation, External Regulation, Introjected Regulation, Identified Regulation, Integrated Regulation, Intrinsic Regulation. Each sub score is a the average of 4 items, ranging from 0-4 with higher values indicating higher motivation.

Countries

United States

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic
Age, Continuous62.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14.7
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
6 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
169 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
4 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
169 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
90 participants
Rural-Urban Status
Rural
15 Participants
Rural-Urban Status
Urban
75 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
108 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
41 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 924 / 90
other
Total, other adverse events
5 / 920 / 90
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 920 / 90

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 10, 2026