Prostate Cancer Survivors and Exercise and Behavioral Counseling (BOOST)

A Pilot, Randomized Controlled Trial Adding Behavioral Counseling to Supervised Physical Activity in Prostate Cancer Survivors

This study will evaluate the feasibility of delivering a supervised physical activity program plus standard exercise counseling (SPA+EC) versus a supervised physical activity plus motivationally-enhanced behavioral counseling (SPA+BC) in prostate cancer survivors (PCS). Fifty participants (n=25) will be randomized to receiving SPA+EC or SPA+BC (n=25). We hypothesize that PCS receiving the SPA+BC intervention will result in greater increases in objectively-assessed physical activity compared with PCS receiving the SPA+EC intervention.

Physical activity (PA) has a positive impact on clinical outcomes such as improvement in overall QoL, cancer-specific mortality, reducing treatment-related toxicities, and reducing fatigue across many cancer survivor groups including PCS. Despite these benefits of regular PA, the majority of PCS are still not meeting public health PA guidelines. Short-term supervised PA programs have been shown to improve health-related fitness and patient-reported outcomes in PCS, but PA declines significantly after the supervised intervention has been completed. Research examining the effect of short- term supervised exercise programs on motivational outcomes and longer term PA among cancer survivors is limited, especially theoretical approaches to identify key motivational outcomes for behavior change. This study will pilot a two-armed, single blind, RCT comparing SPA+EC to SPA+BC. The proposed RCT in PCS is noteworthy given that it differs from standard approaches to supervised PA with the addition of a behavioral counseling component. This rigorous comparison condition will provide further evidence that theoretically-informed interventions are needed to adopt long-term PA maintenance. The program's supervised exercise length will be 6 weeks, followed by a tapered contact throughout the a 6-week home-based component through 'booster' behavioral counseling delivered via telephone. In terms of study measures, objective measures of PA will be used (i.e.,accelerometry, inclinometers), and cardiorespiratory fitness will be evaluated using maximal graded exercise testing via treadmill. Additional secondary outcomes include cognitive function, quality of life, physical function, body composition, motivational outcomes, sexual functioning, masculinity, sedentary behavior, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Behavior change, Prostate cancer, Behavioral counseling, Physical Activity, Randomized controlled trial

25 prostate cancer survivors will receive supervised physical activity and behavioral counseling (SPA+BC) based on the M-PAC. In addition to supervised physical activity, behavioral counseling sessions will be delivered with a PA specialist based on the Multi-process Action Control (M-PAC) framework and include behavior change techniques addressing information regarding the consequences, social support, goal setting, self-monitoring, cues and prompts, barrier identification, intention formation, planning, and habit and identity formation

25 prostate cancer survivors will supervised physical activity and exercise counseling (SPA+EC).In addition to the supervised exercise sessions, standard exercise counseling will be delivered by a PA specialist to teach proper PA and resistance training techniques, how to monitor intensity, and to progress PA safely and effectively to achieve the public health PA guideline.

In addition to supervised physical activity, behavioral counseling sessions will be delivered with a PA specialist based on the Multi-process Action Control (M-PAC) framework and include behavior change techniques addressing information regarding the consequences, social support, goal setting, self-monitoring, cues and prompts, barrier identification, intention formation, planning, and habit and identity formation

In addition to the supervised exercise sessions, standard exercise counseling will be delivered by a PA specialist to teach proper PA and resistance training techniques, how to monitor intensity, and to progress PA safely and effectively to achieve the public health PA guideline.

Objective Physical activity will be measured using an activity device, accelerometry (i.e., Actigraph GTX3+)

Mobility-related fitness parameters will be measured through the six-items of the Seniors' Fitness Test.

Self-reported quality of life measured via the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G) for general quality of life.

Body composition will be estimated using anthropometric measurements will be taken - height, weight and waist circumference.

The primary set of neuropsychological assessments will be assessed using the validated NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. This battery consists of tests to assess Executive Function, Attention, Episodic Memory, Language, Processing Speed and Working Memory.

The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) will be used to assess sexual health including erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction.

The Perceived Relationship Quality Components (PRQC) Inventory will be used to assess relationship quality.

multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework assessing attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, planning, habit, and identity

sitting time as measured by via self-report using the Measuring Older Adults' Sedentary Time (MOST) questionnaire which assesses sitting while watching TV, using the computer, hobbies, socializing, transportation, doing hobbies, and other activities.

Objective measures of sitting time will be assessed using an activity device, inclinometers (i.e., ActivPALs)

Inclusion Criteria: ≥18 years and older Histologically confirmed prostate cancer (Stage I-IIIa) but now cured or in remission Ability and willingness to effectively communicate in English Not meeting physical activity guidelines of ≥150 minutes of vigorous physical activity Exclusion Criteria: Severe coronary artery disease (Canadian Cardiovascular Society class III or greater) Significant congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class III or greater) Uncontrolled pain Neurological or musculoskeletal co-morbidity inhibiting exercise Diagnosed psychotic, addictive or major cognitive disorders Absent for more than 3 consecutive days during the 12-week intervention High risk individuals (i.e., men who have symptomatic and known cardiovascular, pulmonary and/or metabolic disease) as determined by the risk stratification questionnaire

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