This feasibility study is funded by the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit and aims to understand and evaluate head and neck cancer (HaNC) patients’ engagement in physical exercise. The vast majority of HaNC patients have low levels of physical activity, associated with substantial treatment side-effects. The project will develop a collaborative, flexible, patient-centred personalised programme, with tools to support HaNC-specific barriers to exercise, and test whether this is feasible and acceptable. 35 HaNC patients will be recruited across Liverpool and Sunderland. Physiotherapists will work with local Cancer Exercise Specialists to devise a personalised exercise programme, using support tools to overcome HaNC-specific barriers, with weekly virtual support. We will assess; rates of uptake, retention and exercise completion; patient reported symptoms and QOL; physical fitness. We will interview patients and healthcare professionals. Our study will determine whether further research into personalised exercise programmes is feasible and worthwhile.
Our team includes
Professor Jo Patterson, Speech & Language Therapist, University of Liverpool
Val Bryant PPI representative
Professor Adrian Midgley, Clinical Exercise Physiologist and certified Cancer Exercise Specialist
Dr Andy Levy, Reader and Chartered Exercise Psychologist, Edge Hill University
Professor Simon Rogers, Consultant HNC Surgeon, Edge Hill University
Mr Mike Nugent, Consultant HNC Surgeon, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Mr Andrew Schache, Consultant HNC Surgeon and Reader at University of Liverpool
Ruth Price, Specialist HNC Physiotherapist, University of Liverpool Hospitals Foundation Trust
Dr Brooker, Academic Clinical Oncologist, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool
Dr Steven Lane Medical Statistician, University of Liverpool
Professor Bridget Young, Qualitative Methodologist, University of Liverpool
Collaborator: Dr Gillian Prue Queens University Belfast, Chair of the NCRI Acute Care and Toxicities Workstream and member of the Living With and Beyond Cancer Group