Clinical trial · Interventional
Exercise Training After Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery
Exercise and Cardiorespiratory Fitness Improvement Through Supervised Training in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery Patients (EXCITING-UGI)
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
This randomized controlled trial aims to determine the optimal exercise intensity for improving postoperative recovery in patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer. Participants who have undergone curative surgery will be randomly assigned to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), low-intensity continuous training (LICT), or usual care. The exercise interventions will be performed under supervision three times per week for eight weeks. The primary outcome is peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak), assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Secondary outcomes include physical function, body composition, patient-reported outcomes, and biological and mechanistic markers such as inflammatory biomarkers, muscle-related factors, and gut microbiota. This study will also explore potential mechanisms underlying exercise-induced adaptations and their association with clinical outcomes.
Conditions
Conditions (3)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esophageal Cancer | Malignant Esophageal Neoplasm | CURATED_EXACT | 0.92 |
| Gastric Cancer (Diagnosis) | Malignant Gastric Neoplasm | CURATED_BROADER | 0.80 |
| Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Low-Intensity Continuous Training (LICT) | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (3)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- description
- Participants will perform supervised aerobic high-intensity interval training combined with resistance training. Aerobic training is performed on a cycle ergometer and consists of four sets of 4-minute work intervals at 80-95% of VO₂peak, interspersed with 3-minute recovery intervals at 60% of VO₂peak. Each session includes a 3-minute warm-up and a 3-minute cool-down, for a total duration of 34 minutes per session. Exercise is performed three times per week for eight weeks. Resistance training includes chest press, leg extension, leg press, and abdominal exercises using pneumatic resistance machines (HUR, Finland), consisting of two sets of 20-25 repetitions at approximately 20RM. Nutritional counseling is provided by a registered dietitian once every four weeks for a total of two sessions during the intervention period.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Low-Intensity Continuous Training (LICT)
- description
- Participants will perform supervised low-intensity continuous training combined with resistance training and nutritional counseling. Aerobic training is performed on a cycle ergometer at 37-45% of VO₂peak for 28 minutes per session, with a 3-minute warm-up and a 3-minute cool-down, for a total duration of 34 minutes. Exercise is performed three times per week for eight weeks. Resistance training includes chest press, leg extension, leg press, and abdominal exercises using pneumatic resistance machines (HUR, Finland), consisting of two sets of 20-25 repetitions at approximately 20RM. Nutritional counseling is provided by a registered dietitian once every four weeks for a total of two sessions during the intervention period.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years * Diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer * Received curative surgery * 6 ± 2 weeks after surgery * Ability to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Communication difficulties * Poor general status * Undergone combined laryngopharyngectomy * Unsuitable for evaluation or exercise intervention * Unsuitable for the study as determined by the primary physician
References
Publications (0)
Data not yet available