SELECT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Collecting and utiliSing accElerometer data from patients in earLy phasE Cancer Trials to assess physical activity and fatigue
IRAS ID
344075
Contact name
Charlotte Edwardson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UHL
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Physical activity has beneficial effects on fatigue, quality of life, well-being, sleep, and daily functioning for people diagnosed with cancer. Various tools are used to measure physical activity including self-report questionnaires, heart rate monitors, and small wearable sensors such as accelerometers. Traditionally, self-report questionnaires have been commonly used as they are inexpensive and simple to administer, however, they tend to overestimate the physical activity levels and only capture certain aspects of physical activity. Over the past 20 years, accelerometers have become frequently used for measuring physical activity due to their capability of capturing objective data continuously for days, weeks and now even months, providing a detailed picture of physical activity levels and patterns. However, there has been very little research in people living with cancer where physical activity has been captured objectively with these accelerometers and particularly understanding how treatment may impact activity levels. Furthermore, these wearable accelerometers have the potential to assess fatigue through continuous remote monitoring of movement as well as physiological variables such as heart rate. Fatigue is one of the most common complaints among people with advanced cancer and undergoing active chemotherapy. Understanding treatment-induced fatigue is a crucial component of side effect monitoring. Current monitoring of fatigue is via a numerical rating scale and can vary greatly depending on the doctor’s and patient’s interpretation of the activity. However, continual patient monitoring cannot be undertaken using this method, and the perception of fatigue differs greatly between individuals and is highly subjective.
This study is looking at whether it is possible to: (a) collect information about your physical activity and fatigue using a device worn on the wrist called an accelerometer; (b) to determine which physical activity outcome/s from accelerometer data are most predictive of fatigue; and (c) describe the amount and pattern of physical activity in patients prior to and during treatment.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NW/0311
Date of REC Opinion
3 Oct 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion