The effects of exercise on health outcomes in women following treatment for gynaecological cancer (ACUMEN trial)

Exercise is a potent aid to recovery after reproductive cancer treatment. Exercise has been effectively used in breast and other common cancers to reduce women’s risk of developing treatment-related chronic conditions. However, there is little education and support to help women treated for reproductive cancers to safely and sustainably integrate exercise into their daily routine following treatment. This disparity has created an unmet need. Approximately 20,000 Australian women treated for reproductive cancer have developed, or are at risk of developing, detrimental treatment outcomes.

The ACUMEN trial addresses this critical unmet health need. ACUMEN has two components.

1. Study 1 is a randomised control trial of a targeted exercise and behavioural change intervention for women previously treated for reproductive cancers. Outcome measures include quality of life, exercise self-efficacy and several physiological measures (e.g VO2peak, blood markers of chronic disease risk).

2. Study 2 is a complementary mixed-method exploration of how best to facilitate the implementation of exercise into clinical practice after cancer treatment. Outcomes include quantitative and qualitative indications of intervention acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness.

This project is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (2020-24)