Recruiting

EXCEL

Sponsor:

University of Calgary

Code:

NCT06960291

Conditions

Cancer

Prostate Cancers

Breast Cancers

Colon Cancer

Lung Cancers

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Group Exercise Classes

Study Details

Brief 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

Study ID

NCT06960291

Start date

Mar 11, 2025

Status verified date

Mar, 2025

Completion date

Nov 30, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct 30, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

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

Study Design

Enrollment

740 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Supportive Care

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Intervention

All participants will be involved in group exercise classes, twice a week for 8-12 weeks.

Interventions

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.

Primary outcome measure

  • Physical Activity Level [ Time Frame: Baseline to one year ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Julianna Dreger, PhD

(403) 210-8482jdreger@ucalgary.ca

Georgia Kaluznick

403-210-8482wellnesslab@ucalgary.ca

Locations

University of Calgary

Recruiting

Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N1N4

Contacts

Julianna Dreger

403-210-8482jdreger@ucalgary.ca

Principal Investigator:

Nicole Culos-Reed, PhD

University of British Columbia

Recruiting

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z7

Contacts

Carole Yin

604-827-1914exercise.research@ubc.ca

Principal Investigator:

Kristin Campbell, PhD

Nova Scotia Health Authority

Recruiting

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 4R2

Contacts

Tom Christensen

902-473-2035excancer@nshealth.ca

Principal Investigator:

Melanie Keats, PhD

University of Toronto

Recruiting

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A1

Contacts

Daniel Sibley

403-210-8482excel.ontario@utoronto.ca

Principal Investigator:

Daniel Santa Mina, PhD

Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal

Recruiting

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2X 0A9

Contacts

Alexia Piché

5148908000alexia.piche.chum@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

Principal Investigator:

Isabelle Doré, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Calgary

Last update posted

Oct 7, 2025

Last verified

Mar, 2025

Keywords

  • Exercise oncology
  • Exercise
  • Physical activity
  • community program
  • online exercise
  • cancer survivor
  • individual living with and beyond cancer
  • quality of life

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Calgary on 2025-10-07.