NCT01794481

Benefits of Exercise Training in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Organ-Preserving Definitive Therapy

Benefits of Resistance Exercise Training in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Organ-Preserving Definitive Therapy

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential benefit of an individualized resistance exercise-training program during radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Detailed description

Patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer are treated with radiation therapy (with/without chemotherapy) to avoid large surgical procedures. However, definitive radiation treatments can cause side effects (like mouth sores, difficulty swallowing) that often cause weight loss. It has been shown that a significant percentage of the weight loss is due to loss of muscle mass. Resistance exercise training works to increase muscle strength and endurance by doing repetitive exercises with weights, weight machines, or resistance bands.

Conditions

• Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Resistance Exercise Training (RET)	If you are randomized to the resistance exercise training (RET) program, you will undergo up to three 1-hour training sessions per week for 7 weeks during radiation therapy. There will be up to 3 sessions per week lasting up to one hour, and will generally include a 10- minute warm-up, rest periods and 10 minute cool-down. The goal is to perform the exercises as tolerated in week 1 and increase intensity as the weeks progress. Weights will be added each week depending on your tolerance to them. Rest periods will be incorporated into the exercises as needed. The intensity and weights used will be customized to the individual. During the home program portion, you will be asked to keep a weekly log of your exercises and the trainer will call you weekly to go over the log and provide support. At week 11 the trainer will meet with you to go over your individualized program and review your technique.

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-01-01
• Primary completion: 2014-08-01
• Completion: 2015-03-01
• First posted: 2013-02-20
• Last updated: 2015-05-20

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States