A study looking at how chemotherapy affects level of fitness

Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.

Cancer type:

Oesophageal cancer
Stomach cancer

Status:

Closed

Phase:

Other

This study is looking at how having chemotherapy can affect your level of fitness. This study is open to people who have cancer of the stomach or oesophagus (food pipe) and are having chemotherapy before surgery.

Doctors sometimes give chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the cancer. This makes it easier to remove. But having chemotherapy may reduce a person’s level of fitness. And this may increase their risks from surgery.  

Some hospitals routinely use a heart and lung test called a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET for short). This is to measure your fitness before surgery. The researchers want to use CPET to measure fitness before and after chemotherapy. They also want to find out how people are after surgery.

The aim of this study is to find out if CPET can predict whether someone will be fit for surgery after having chemotherapy.

Who can enter

You may be able to enter this study if you

You cannot enter this study if you would not be able to do the bicycle exercise (CPET) test.

Trial design

This is an observational study. It will recruit 360 people. Everyone taking part will have a test to find out how well their heart and lungs work and how fit they are. This is called a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET for short). You have this twice, before and after your course of chemotherapy.

Diagram for how chemotherapy affects level of fitness study

The study team will ask you to fill in a questionnaire before each test and again a month and a year after your surgery. The questionnaire will ask about your health and how you have been feeling. This is called a quality of life questionnaire.  

If you agree to take part, the study team will also take a blood sample before and after each CPET.

Hospital visits

There should be no extra visits as the research team will try to do the CPETs when you have routine hospital appointments.

Side effects

CPET is safe and the researchers don’t anticipate any side effects.

Recruitment start:

Recruitment end:

How to join a clinical trial

Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.

Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.

Chief Investigator

Prof Mike Grocott

Supported by

NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme

Freephone 0808 800 4040

Last review date

CRUK internal database number:

8652

Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.

Cara took part in a clinical trial

A picture of Cara

"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”

Last reviewed:

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