Breast cancEr, FITness and ExeRcise for Heart Health: The BE-FITTER Study

NCT ID: NCT06595147

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-07-01
• Study Completion Date: 2026-12-20

Brief Summary

The chemotherapy medications used for breast cancer treatment are important for achieving a cure, but a potential side effect is that they can cause a decline in functional capacity (reduced exercise tolerance and impaired physical function) and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The risks of decreased functional capacity and cardiovascular disease are highest in breast cancer survivors as they grow older. The factors causing the decline in functional capacity are not well understood, however they may be related to a reduction in cardiac function (e.g. decreased pumping ability of the heart) or skeletal muscle function (reduced muscle blood flow and oxygenation). Exercise training is used for other populations at risk for cardiovascular disease (such as cardiac rehabilitation), but is not routinely offered to breast cancer survivors. Therefore this research study wants to test whether exercise training can improve heart and muscle health, and increase functional capacity in up to 60 older breast cancer survivors aged >60 years old who previously received chemotherapy drugs that can affect the heart.

The purpose of this study is to compare two rehabilitation approaches: a 12-week structured exercise training program or a 12-week stretching-yoga program. The investigators want to compare whether these programs can improve functional capacity, and heart and skeletal muscle function. To do this, some of the participants in this study will be randomly enrolled in the structured exercise training program and others will be randomly enrolled in the stretching-yoga program.

Conditions

Breast Cancer; Disability Physical; Heart Failure; Cardiotoxicity

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Experimental Arm: Structured Exercise Training

Participants randomized to exercise training will be provided with a 12-week structured exercise training program. The program includes 3 weekly sessions of aerobic exercise (e.g treadmill, cycling, elliptical machine) and/or resistance training (i.e lifting weights). The aerobic sessions will include long-endurance (40-60 minutes at moderate intensity), tempo (30-40 minutes at a moderate-vigorous intensity) and high-intensity interval exercise (10-15 intervals of 30-60 seconds at 100% peak aerobic power output, interspersed with 60 seconds of active recovery). Resistance training will include 4-6 lower body exercises performed for 2-3 sets of 8-20 repetitions at a load equivalent to 60-85% of their one repetition maximum. The program will be supervised by an exercise trainer (Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Physiotherapist, Kinesiologist or Research Associate with exercise training experience) and will be individualized each individual's baseline fitness and medical history.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Structured Exercise Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete 12-weeks of supervised, structured moderate-to-high intensity aerobic and resistance training three times per week.

Active Comparator: Group-based Yoga and Stretching

Participants allocated to the yoga and stretching group will provided with a once weekly yoga and stretching group class. The classes will consist of a combination of light-intensity yoga, balance and stretching exercises. The yoga and stretching class will be overseen by a yoga instructor, physiotherapist, physiotherapy trainee or research assistant with exercise training background

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Group-based Yoga and Stretching

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete 12-weeks of supervised group-based yoga and stretching once per week.

Interventions

Structured Exercise Training

Participants will complete 12-weeks of supervised, structured moderate-to-high intensity aerobic and resistance training three times per week.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Group-based Yoga and Stretching

Participants will complete 12-weeks of supervised group-based yoga and stretching once per week.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age ≥60 years
• Previously diagnosed with early-stage (I-III) BC
• Completed (≥1 year post) primary cardiotoxic treatment (anthracycline-based chemotherapy or trastuzumab-based biological therapy).

Exclusion Criteria

• Have a history of coronary artery disease, heart failure, persistent and permanent arrhythmia (e.g. currently in atrial fibrillation), stroke, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Develop signs or symptoms of myocardial ischemia (≥1mm horizontal or down-sloping ST segment depression on electrocardiogram) during the cardiopulmonary (VO2peak) test
• Have any research MRI contraindications (e.g. any type of pacemaker), or any orthopedic limitation preventing exercise testing
• Currently performing structured exercise training (defined as ≥30 mins/day of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic and/or resistance exercise training on ≥4 days/week)
• Are unwilling to be randomized to either ExT or STRETCH

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Alberta

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Canada

Central Contacts

Nathan Weeldreyer, PhD

Role: CONTACT

ageheart@ualberta.ca

616.566.6756

Facility Contacts

Nathan Weeldreyer, PhD

Role: primary

ageheart@ualberta.ca

616.566.6756

Other Identifiers

HREBA.CC-24-0058

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id