Alberta Cancer Exercise Pilot Randomized Trial

The purpose of the study is to examine the benefit and specific outcomes of a community-based exercise program that is designed to address the needs of individuals who are receiving or recovering from cancer treatment. Eighty cancer survivors from Edmonton and Calgary will take part in the 24-week long study. Survivors will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group will take part in an 8-week supervised exercise program followed by 8 weeks of self-directed or home-based exercise (early exercise group). The other 40 participants will continue with their normal activities for 16 weeks (delayed exercise group). After the 16 week period, participants in the delayed exercise group will take part in the 8-week supervised exercise program. Exercise sessions will take place at selected YMCAs in Edmonton and Calgary. Exercise sessions will be supervised by specially trained exercise specialists who have received special training in exercise and cancer. Outcomes of the study will include feasibility, physical fitness measures, cancer-related symptoms and quality of life.