Clinical Trial

Distance-Based Exercise to Preserve Function and Prevent Disability

Study acronym: DEFEND
Recruiting
View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Summary
This clinical trial studies whether an exercise program can be successfully delivered to patients receiving treatment for cancer through virtual sessions and allow patients to exercise in their own home. Treatments for cancer can cause side effects such as fatigue and loss of strength. These side effects can make it difficult to work, take care of family, and do other things the patient wants to do. Preliminary research shows that exercise can help prevent some of these side effects, but it can be more difficult to start an exercise program when a patient is receiving cancer treatment. The exercise program in this study is delivered through telehealth (TH) video calls. The TH sessions are delivered by trained staff that supervise resistance exercises. The trained staff also provide guidance to the patient on completing unsupervised aerobic sessions on their own. This may be a successful way to deliver an exercise program and make it easier for cancer patients to exercise in their own home during treatment.
Protocol Amendment History 3 changes
notable Primary completion pushed: 2027-01-01 -> 2027-07-01 2026-07-03
minor Completion pushed: 2027-02-18 -> 2027-08-31 2026-07-03
notable Trial sites expanded: 14 -> 17 locations 2026-04-08
Trial Details
NCT Number NCT07059884
Lead Sponsor Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Conditions Localized Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Anal Cancer, Bladder (Urothelial, Transitional Cell) Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Colon Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Esophageal Cancer +11 more
Enrollment 104 participants
Start Date 2026-02-11
Primary Completion 2027-07-01 (estimated)
Study Completion 2027-08-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov 2026-08-05