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Enhancing Lifestyle Behaviors Endometrial Cancer Enable Pilot

Conducted within Allied Health and Health Services Research, the aim of ENABLE is to determine the feasibility, acceptability and safety of a telehealth allied health intervention involving nutrition and physical activity education combined with behaviour change and social support, during adjuvant treatment for endometrial cancer

The main aim of the 'Enhancing Lifestyle Behaviors Endometrial Cancer Enable Pilot' study was to find out whether people were interested in physical activity and nutrition education and social support during their treatments for endometrial cancer and whether this was practical and safe to deliver. Twenty-two people agreed to be in the study, half of the total number of people we approached involved. Fourteen people were in the intervention group and eight in the usual care group. Most people were treated with brachytherapy following their surgery. All people involved in the study completed the assessment at nine weeks and 20/22 (91%) completed the three-month assessment. 

Completion of the physical tests was lower than the questionnaires due to people not being able to attend the hospital and later in the study because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Most people in the intervention group attended at least six of the eight intervention sessions with the dietitian and the physio. There were no safety issues reported. 

Themes which came from participant interviews included: 

  1. New lifestyle behaviours were formed, and existing ones improved  
  2. Professional advice, contact with the study team and the study diary were helpful  
  3. Contributing to research was valued  
  4. Telehealth enabled intervention participation  

Suggestions for changes to the program for the future were also made, including:

  1. providing recipes for healthy meals and snacks, incorporating mindfulness and relaxation exercises, structured group exercise opportunities with preference for community-based settings close to home, 
  2. additional social components to increase motivation and accountability, 
  3. more accurate pedometers and tools for capturing information and advice received. 

The findings from the study support the safety and practicality of the intervention. After modifications based on feedback from participants, we now need to test the intervention, with more people in each group, to understand the effects it may have on physical activity, nutrition, symptoms, and quality of life. 

Sponsor 

  • Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre 

Funding 

  • Peter Mac Foundation 

Principal investigator 

Dr Lara Edbrooke 

  • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Project status 

  • Completed 

Contact details 

Dr Lara Edbrooke 

  • Phone: (03) 8559 5234 

  • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Resources 

Links 

Publications and presentations 

  • Edbrooke, L, Khaw, P, Freimund, A, Carpenter, D, McNally, O, Joubert, L, Loeliger, J, Traill, A, Gough, K, Mileshkin, L* and Denehy, L*. ENhAncing lifestyle Behaviors in endometriaL cancEr (ENABLE): a pilot randomized controlled trial. Integrative Cancer Therapies (under review). 

Presentations  

  • Edbrooke, L, Khaw, P, Freimund, A, Carpenter, D, McNally, O, Joubert, L, Loeliger, J, Traill, A, Gough, K, Mileshkin, L* and Denehy, L*. ENhAncing lifestyle Behaviors in endometriaL cancEr (ENABLE): a pilot randomized controlled trial. COSA Annual Scientific Meeting 2020 (virtual - eposter). 

  • Edbrooke, L, Khaw, P, Freimund, A, Carpenter, D, McNally, O, Joubert, L, Loeliger, J, Traill, A, Gough, K, Mileshkin, L* and Denehy, L*. ENhAncing lifestyle Behaviors in endometriaL cancEr (ENABLE): a pilot randomized controlled trial. CNSA pre-conference workshop 2022, Brisbane (invited speaker). 

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