Trial results for a physical activity program in patients treated for high-risk Stage II or Stage III colorectal cancer were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-04-24. The program demonstrated a significant improvement in overall survival with a hazard ratio of 0.63.
Background
Patients who have undergone surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer often face concerns about recurrence, physical fitness, psychological well-being, and quality of life. This trial aimed to investigate whether a physical activity program, when combined with written health education materials, could offer additional benefits compared to health education materials alone. The study sought to determine its influence on the chance of cancer recurring, as well as its impact on physical fitness, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life.
Trial design
The study (NCT00819208) was a completed trial that enrolled 889 participants. The trial investigated interventions for patients who had undergone treatment for high-risk Stage II or Stage III colon cancer, and also assessed impacts on conditions such as Anxiety Disorder, Cognitive/Functional Effects, Depression, and Fatigue. Participants were assigned to receive either a 'Physical Activity Program + General Health Education Materials' or 'General Health Education Materials' alone.
Key results
The trial results showed differences in survival outcomes between the two groups:
- For Disease-free Survival, the 'Physical Activity Program + General Health Education Materials' group reported 80.3% of participants, compared to 73.9% for the 'General Health Education Materials' group.
- For Overall Survival, the 'Physical Activity Program + General Health Education Materials' group reported 90.3% of participants, compared to 83.2% for the 'General Health Education Materials' group.
Further analyses using the Log Rank method reported a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.72 (95.0% Confidence Interval: 0.55 to 0.94) with a p-value of 0.02. Another analysis also using the Log Rank method reported a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.63 (95.0% Confidence Interval: 0.43 to 0.94) with a p-value of 0.02.
What this means
The findings suggest that incorporating a physical activity program alongside general health education materials may offer significant benefits for patients who have completed treatment for high-risk Stage II or Stage III colon cancer. The observed improvements in both disease-free survival and overall survival indicate that such interventions could play a crucial role in post-treatment care, potentially enhancing long-term outcomes for this patient population.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for study NCT00819208, titled "Health Education Materials With/Out a Physical Activity Program for Patients Who Have Undergone Treatment for High-Risk Stage II or Stage III Colon Cancer," were posted on 2026-04-24 on clinicaltrials.gov.