Symptoms and General Pathology

All Conditions

Neoplasms

Digestive System Diseases

Recurrence

Colonic Neoplasms

Colorectal Neoplasms

Intestinal Neoplasms

Gastrointestinal Neoplasms

Digestive System Neoplasms

Gastrointestinal Diseases

Colonic Diseases

Intestinal Diseases

Herbal and Botanical

All Drugs and Chemicals

Cola

Arm I (exercise program): Oncologist advice; Resistance bands \& pedometer with written/DVD instructions for resistance exercise twice a week for 16 weeks. Brief moderate-intensity walks multiple times a day for a total of 30 minutes increasing steps weekly by 10% to reach a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. Monthly newsletters; Telephone counseling weekly for 4 weeks then monthly for 12 weeks; and tailored message telephone prompts once every 2 weeks during last 12 weeks of the study intervention.

Arm II (relaxation program): Oncologist advice; Written/CD audio instructions on diaphragmatic breathing and guided imagery. Practice relaxation techniques for 15 minutes/day, 5-7 days/week, for 16 weeks. Monthly newsletters, telephone counseling, and tailored-message telephone prompts as in arm I.

Resistance exercising using resistance bands 2 days per week, and brief moderate-intensity walks multiple times a day for a total of 30 minutes increasing steps weekly by 10% to reach a minimum of 10,000 steps a day

Exercise Program

Patients will receive encouragement and social support from a telephone counselor once a week for the first 4 weeks and then once a month for the remaining 12 weeks.

Telephone-based intervention

Patients will receive advice from their doctor (in person), physician assistant, or other midlevel provider about exercising. They will also be given this advice in a letter.

Counseling intervention

Questionnaire administration

Relaxation techniques (breathing and meditation) provided at least 15 minutes per day for 5-7 days per week.

Relaxation Program

Karen Basen-Engquist, PhD

Michael J. Fisch, MD, MPH, FACP

The goal of this study is to compare the effects of exercise with the effects of relaxation training on physical function (how well participants perform normal daily activities) and symptoms related to your cancer diagnosis (such as tiredness, pain, and nausea).

Study Groups:

If you are found to be eligible to take part in this study, you will be randomly assigned (as in the flip of a coin) to 1 of 2 groups.

If you are in the exercise group, you will receive a doctor's recommendation to exercise (in-person advice and letters), newsletters on behavior change methods, resistance bands, a pedometer, and telephone counseling. A pedometer is a small device used to measure the number of steps you take.

If you are in the relaxation group, you will receive a doctor's recommendation to practice relaxation training (in-person advice and letters), newsletters on behavior change methods, written and video instructions for doing the relaxation techniques, and telephone counseling.

If you are in the Exercise Group:

* You will receive advice from your doctor (in person), physician's assistant, or other mid-level provider about exercising. You will be given advice on the use of your pedometer and resistance bands provided to you in this study, about the exercises provided and about keeping track of your progress on the exercise logs provided to you. You will also be given this advice in a letter.
* You will receive encouragement and support from a telephone counselor. The telephone counselor will contact you once a week for the first 4 weeks and then once a month for 12 weeks. The call will take about 5 minutes to complete.
* You will receive newsletters with stories about other cancer survivor experiences.
* You will be do resistance exercises using the resistance bands 2 days a week.

If you are in the Relaxation Group:

* You will receive advice from your doctor (in person), physician's assistant or other mid-level provider about relaxation techniques. You will be given advice on practicing the breathing and meditation techniques provided to you in this study, on how long and how often you are performing your relaxation techniques, and on keeping track of your relaxation practice on the relaxation logs provided to you. -You will also be given this advice in a letter.
* You will receive encouragement and support from a telephone counselor. The telephone counselor will contact you once a week for the first 4 weeks and then once a month for 12 weeks. The call will take about 5 minutes to complete.
* You will receive newsletters with stories about other cancer survivor experiences.
* You will be perform the relaxation techniques at least 15 minutes a day for 5-7 days a week.

All participants will continue the group exercises or relaxation techniques for 16 weeks.

Follow-Up Visit:

You will have a follow-up visit during Weeks 16-20. At this visit, you will complete the following tests and procedures:

* Your medical history will be recorded.
* Your performance status will be recorded.
* You will complete the 11 questionnaires.
* You will complete the exercise tests to measure how your body uses oxygen, to test your lower body strength, to test your upper body strength, and to test your flexibility and balance.

Length of Study:

You will remain on study for 16-20 weeks.

This is an investigational study.

Up to 154 patients will take part in this multicenter study. Up to 154 may be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Doctor-Recommended Home-Based Exercise Program or Relaxation Training in Improving Physical Function and Controlling Symptoms in Patients With Stage IV or Recurrent Colon Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

Comparative Study of Oncologist Recommended, Home-Based Exercise Program and Relaxation Training for Physical Functioning and Symptom Control in Colon Cancer Patients

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Nervous System Diseases

Behaviors and Mental Disorders

Fatigue

Breast Neoplasms

Parasomnias

Dyssomnias

Breast Diseases

Skin Diseases

Quality of Life

Anti-Inflammatory Agents

Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone 17-butyrate 21-propionate

Hydrocortisone acetate

Hydrocortisone hemisuccinate

Simple stretching exercises, specific breathing skills, and guided relaxation for 3 sessions, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Each session should last about 60 minutes. Multiple questionnaires taken before, during and after radiotherapy/exercise intervention programs during course of study. 4 saliva samples per day for cortisol testing for 3 days before radiation therapy begins, for 3 days in the last week of radiation therapy, for 3 days in a row 3 months after radiation therapy ended, for 3 days in a row, for 6 months after radiation therapy ended, and for 12 months after radiation therapy ended.

Participants in this group given the option to take part in one of the two forms of relaxation (off study) after they finish their last questionnaire packet. 4 saliva samples per day for cortisol testing for 3 days before radiation therapy begins, for 3 days in the last week of radiation therapy, for 3 days in a row 3 months after radiation therapy ended, for 3 days in a row, for 6 months after radiation therapy ended, and for 12 months after radiation therapy ended.

3 times a week, 60 minute sessions for 6 weeks.

Multiple questionnaires taken before, during and after radiotherapy/exercise intervention programs during course of study.

Questionnaires

4 saliva samples per day for cortisol testing for 3 days before radiation therapy begins, for 3 days in the last week of radiation therapy, for 3 days in a row 3 months after radiation therapy ended, for 3 days in a row, for 6 months after radiation therapy ended, and for 12 months after radiation therapy ended.

Saliva Testing

Lorenzo Cohen, PHD

The goal of this behavioral research study is to compare two different forms of relaxation programs that will include stretching and relaxation techniques, in order to learn if and how well they may help to improve physical and emotional well-being. This will be tested in patients with breast cancer who are receiving radiation therapy. For comparison purposes, there will also be a group of participants that does not take part in the relaxation programs.

This is an investigational study. The relaxation programs are being compared for research purposes only.

An "assessment" is any time you complete a set of scheduled activities for this study, such as tests and questionnaires.

Up to 700 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

During the first visit, you will fill out questionnaires that ask about your sleeping habits, how you have been feeling, and the general quality of your life. This should take about 60-80 minutes.

Every day for the next 7 days, you will fill out a diary about your sleep. You will also wear an "actigraph" wrist watch 24 hours a day for these 7 days. The watch will collect data about your physical activity and sleeping habits.

You will also have an electrocardiogram (ECG - a test to measure the electrical activity of your heart) which will last about 10 minutes.

Study Groups:

After your first visit, you will be randomly assigned (as in the roll of dice) to 1 of 3 groups:

* Group 1 will take part in one type of relaxation program.
* Group 2 will take part in another type of relaxation program.
* Group 3 will not take part in either program but will complete some of the follow-up procedures. Participants in this group will be given the option to take part in one of the two forms of relaxation (off study) after they finish their last questionnaire packet.

You will have about a 1 out of 3 chance of being assigned to each group. The groups are randomly assigned, but it is also based on other factors such as your age and the status of the disease.

Sessions:

Groups 1 and 2:

You will take part in 3 sessions each week for the 6 weeks of radiation therapy, or 4-5 sessions each week for 4 weeks if your radiation therapy lasts only 4 weeks. You can choose any weekday (Monday through Friday). Each session should last about 60 minutes.

The sessions will be taught by an experienced, trained instructor, usually in groups of 2-5 participants. The movements are designed to be easy to follow. You will be able to work at your own pace.

Each session will be audio and video recorded. This is so the researchers can keep track of the quality of the sessions. The audio and video files are digital and will be deleted after all the data are studied.

Women in Groups 1 and 2 will be randomized to a maintenance intervention arm or a usual contact arm after the end of radiotherapy. If you are randomized to the maintenance intervention arm you will receive telephone counseling once a month after the end of your radiotherapy. You will also receive booster sessions once every 3 months post-radiotherapy, or at least when you come for your follow-up appointments.

Groups 1 and 2:

During the sessions, you will do simple stretching exercises, specific breathing skills, and guided relaxation. You will be asked to try and practice once a day for 12 months. You will be provided a DVD and an audio CD to help with your practice when you are not at the hospital.

Questionnaires and Study Procedures:

Groups 1 and 2:

Before your first session of the week except for week 1, Groups 1 and 2 will fill out a questionnaire about the relaxation program. This should take about 1-2 minutes.

During the middle of your radiation treatment period, you will have an ECG recorded before and after your classes. Each ECG will last about 10 minutes.

All Groups:

During the middle of your radiation treatment period, you will fill out a questionnaire that asks about any symptoms you may be having. This should take about 15 minutes. You will also have an ECG.

During your last week of radiation therapy, and at 3, 6, and 12 months after your radiation therapy ends, you will fill out a set of questionnaires. The questionnaires will be mostly the same as at your first study visit. This should take about 60-80 minutes. You will also have an ECG at these times.

Questionnaire packets will be mailed to your home by the research staff. After completing the questionnaires, you will return the completed questionnaire packet to the research staff via a pre-paid mailing envelope.

Every day for 7 days in a row, after every time you fill out the questionnaires, you will fill out another sleep diary. During these 7-day periods, you will wear an actigraph watch 24 hours a day to collect the same data as before. Each time, you will mail the actigraph watch back to MD Anderson in postage-paid envelopes that will be provided to you.

If your questionnaire responses show that you may be having emotional difficulties or depression, you will be provided with names of mental health providers in case you would like to receive mental health screening.

All participants will be asked not to do any other stretching/relaxation practices during the study.

Saliva Testing:

You will provide 4 saliva samples per day for cortisol testing on the following schedule:

* for 3 days before radiation therapy begins
* for 3 days in the last week of radiation therapy
* for 3 days in a row, 3 months after radiation therapy ended
* for 3 days in a row, 6 months after radiation therapy ended
* for 3 days in a row, 12 months after radiation therapy ended

To provide a saliva sample, you will chew on a cotton ball for a few seconds and then put the cotton in a small plastic tube. You will then mail the samples back to MD Anderson in postage-paid envelopes that will be provided to you. The tubes will also be provided at no cost to you. These saliva samples will be destroyed after being studied.

Length of Participation:

Your study participation will be over after you fill out the questionnaires 12 months after radiation therapy.

Relaxation for Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy

Biobehavioral Effects of Relaxation for Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy

Effectiveness of 6-week relaxation intervention evaluated by physical component scale scores during and after treatment, defined as Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form survey (SF-36).

Study title	NCT ID	Conditions	Interventions	Eligibility	Organization	Link
Doctor-Recommended Home-Based Exercise Program or Relaxation Training in Improving Physical Function and Controlling Symptoms in Patients With Stage IV or Recurrent Colon Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery	NCT00985400	Colorectal Canc...	Exercise Progra... Telephone-based... Counseling inte... Questionnaire a... Relaxation Prog...	18 Years -	M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Relaxation for Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy	NCT01202851	Breast Cancer	Relaxation Prog... Questionnaires Saliva Testing	18 Years -	M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for relaxation program