Patients’ experience of exercise and cancer: Informing ‘WESFIT’ Pilot Patient Involvement Report

A pilot programme is being developed through funding from the Wessex Cancer Alliance whereby cancer patients will be offered exercising and/or counselling prior to treatment. Organisations working with the Wessex Clinical Alliance (including Wessex Voices) held three sets of interviews with patients who have been encouraged to exercise prior to their treatment.

The findings have informed the design of the pilot study. Key findings include (refer to report for a full list):

• All participants reported physiological and psychological benefit from participation in community based exercise, clinical trials of exercise prehabilitation or F4S.

• People and their next of kin are vulnerable, particularly around the time of investigation and diagnosis, many describe ‘fear’ and ‘emotionally locking down’.

• Understanding/communication about what is going to happen and might happen was very important to being psychologically prepared for treatment/s and surgery.

• Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are central to support people at this time – communication was key. Or could be: The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is central in supporting people at this time – communication was key

• All were keen to have support to get back to exercise after surgery. 

• The sessions people are signposted to as part of the trial need to feel like part of their treatment plan to ensure highest uptake. 

As a result of this engagement, the study was refined to include the following based on people's feedback (for a full list, please refer to the report):

• The counselling element of the study will be reframed and referred to as ‘psychological support’. Participants will also be offered sessions termed ‘healthy conversations’ as well or instead of psychological support. This approach involves a focus on the client to identify a behaviour they would like to change (i.e. increase physical activity) and they are supported to do so.

• Those undertaking CPET exercising testing will now be given feedback on their scores.

• At the 12 week post-surgery appointment as part of the pilot trial, participants will have the opportunity to discuss how to safely resume exercising with their exercise trainer.

• The first two exercise sessions will be conducted in a hospital setting to ensure patients feel reassured that it is safe to exercise outside of the hospital setting with supervision from qualified physical trainers.   

• Nutritional assessment will now be included in the study. We are also working with the Cancer and Nutrition National Institute of Health Research Infrastructure Collaboration (comprising experts in the field of nutrition and cancer) to produce guidelines to support patients with diet post-treatment.