Trial results for the GET FIT Prostate study, investigating exercise interventions for individuals with Prostate Cancer, were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-07-02. The trial enrolled 284 participants to compare different exercise modalities.
Background
Prostate cancer is a prevalent condition, with millions of survivors in the U.S. A significant portion of these survivors, nearly half (45%), undergo androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which can lead to side effects impacting quality of life, including muscle loss, bone density reduction, and increased risk of falls. Exercise interventions are crucial for managing these side effects, improving functional abilities, and enhancing overall well-being for prostate cancer survivors.
Trial design
The GET FIT Prostate trial, designated as Phase NA, was a single-blind, parallel group, randomized controlled trial. It enrolled 284 participants diagnosed with Prostate Carcinoma. The study compared three interventions over a 6-month supervised period with a 6-month follow-up: tai ji quan (focused on functional balance), strength training (focused on functional strength), and a stretching control group (focused on functional mobility).
Key results
The trial reported several key measurements across the intervention groups:
- Number of Falls (Average fall count per 6 months):
- Strength Training: 0.29
- Stretching Control: 0.33
- Tai Ji Quan Training: 0.38
- Change in Total Frailty Score (Incidence rate ratio - first set of measurements):
- Strength Training: 0.41
- Stretching Control: 0.84
- Tai Ji Quan Training: 0.66
- Change in Total Frailty Score (Incidence rate ratio - second set of measurements):
- Strength Training: 1.66
- Stretching Control: 0.99
- Tai Ji Quan Training: 1.16
- Lean Body Mass (Score on a scale per 6 months):
- Strength Training: -0.03
- Stretching Control: -0.68
- Tai Ji Quan Training: -0.87
What this means
The results from the GET FIT Prostate trial suggest varying impacts of different exercise modalities on key health outcomes for prostate cancer survivors. Strength training demonstrated the lowest average fall count per 6 months and showed the most favorable incidence rate ratio for the first set of 'Change in Total Frailty Score' measurements. Furthermore, strength training resulted in the least negative change in lean body mass, indicating a potential benefit in preserving muscle mass compared to stretching control and tai ji quan. These findings highlight the potential of targeted exercise, particularly strength training, in mitigating common side effects and improving functional health in prostate cancer patients, especially those undergoing treatments like ADT.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT03741335, titled "GET FIT Prostate: A Randomized Controlled Exercise Trial", were posted on 2025-07-02 on clinicaltrials.gov.