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TOP Study (Part II)

Individual training control for oncology patients

Principal investigator:  
Prof. Dr. Joachim Wiskemann

Co-Principal investigator:  
Prof. Dr. Dirk Jäger

Brief description

Scientific studies show that oncology patients can improve their performance and quality of life and reduce the late effects of therapy through physical training. To date, there has been little research into how to design appropriate training for oncology patients in order to achieve optimal effects and avoid over- or under-exertion. Frequently, patients are advised to do uniform training that should feel "somewhat strenuous" and is not further specified. In competitive sport, more differentiated training methods are used: Athletes complete performance tests from which individual intensity targets are derived. Instead of uniform loads, the training stimulus is then varied in order to achieve greater effects. The aim of TOP Study Part II is therefore to transfer training methods from competitive sport to oncology patients, taking into account their current performance, in order to make training more individualized and effective.

The TOP study part II is a four-arm randomized controlled training intervention study in which 60 breast and 60 prostate cancer patients are included 6-52 weeks after completion of primary therapy. The participants receive either a twelve-week endurance training program or a twelve-week strength training program with two training sessions per week.

The endurance training participants will be randomly assigned to one of two training methods. One of the training methods is uniform endurance training, while the other method is based on competitive sports methods and alternates high-intensity interval training units with moderate endurance units.

The strength training participants are also randomly assigned to one of two training methods. This means that the participants receive either uniform training geared towards health sports or training geared towards competitive sports with varying weights and repetitions.
Which of the two endurance training methods and which of the two strength training methods is the more effective is determined primarily on the basis of physical performance. Other endpoints include quality of life and changes in fatigue and depression.
Three appointments for performance diagnostics take place at the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg at 12-week intervals (directly before the 12-week training phase, directly after the 12-week training phase and 12 weeks after the training phase). The training itself can be completed either at the NCT or at one of our local cooperation partners via the OnkoAktiv network.

The TOP study is sponsored by the Dietmar Hopp Foundation.

Current Status

The recruitment phase began in December 2017.

Contact

PD Dr. Joachim Wiskemann
Tel.: 06221 56-5904
E-Mail: joachim.wiskemann(at)nct-heidelberg.de

Petra Armbrust
Tel.: 06221 56-38714
E-Mail: petra.armbrust(at)nct-heidelberg.de

At a glance

  • Study objective: Optimization of the positive effects of strength and endurance training
  • Design: four-arm randomized controlled training intervention study with twelve-week strength or endurance training
  • Study patients: Breast and prostate cancer patients (18 - 75 years) 6 to 52 weeks after completion of primary therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy)