# Distance-based Exercise to preserve Function and prevENt Disability (DEFEND)

> **NIH NIH U34** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 2024 · $294,787

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Many cancer survivors experience challenges in performing daily activities and loss of work productivity due to
the adverse effects of cancer and its treatments, resulting in financial burdens for both individuals and society.
These effects are more pronounced in vulnerable groups of cancer survivors, including racial and ethnic
minorities, individuals living in rural areas, and individuals of lower socioeconomic status. Exercise is effective
for improving physical function and reducing treatment-related side effects, but many cancer survivors are
insufficiently active after diagnosis. Given the profound implications of cancer on individual and societal health,
it is crucial to address these challenges through the development of scalable, effective exercise interventions
accessible to all, including vulnerable populations. Additionally, identifying patients at risk of functional loss as a
result of cancer treatment will be essential to ensuring that exercise is directed to the individuals most likely to
benefit and that programs are developed for successful implementation in these populations.
The overall goals of this U34 Clinical Trials Planning Grant are to further define the population of patients most
likely to derive benefit from the incorporation of exercise during cancer treatment, establish the feasibility of
enrolling and retaining a diverse patient population to an exercise oncology intervention trial during
chemotherapy, successfully implement a technology-enabled exercise program across academic and community
oncology practices, and identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of an exercise intervention trial in
key stakeholders. The planning grant will include an assessment of factors associated with a decline in function
in individuals enrolled in the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-3 cohort and single-arm exercise
intervention pilot study conducted through the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology NCORP research base.
The pilot study will evaluate the feasibility of conducting a virtual aerobic and resistance-training exercise
intervention trial in 80 patients at risk of functional decline undergoing chemotherapy in community and academic
sites. Feasibility will be defined based on rates of enrollment, diversity of the patient population, retention, and
adherence to the exercise program. The exercise intervention program will be delivered centrally by exercise
trainers based at DFCI via telehealth sessions accessed through a study-provided cellular-enabled tablet. Key
stakeholders, including patients, patient advocates, caregivers, and clinical staff involved in the pilot study will
undergo semi-structured interviews focused on facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the exercise
intervention. Results of this planning grant will be used to inform the development of a Phase III trial to assess
the efficacy of an efficient technology-enabled exercise oncology intervention to...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10974795
- **Project number:** 1U34CA293568-01
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer A. Ligibel
- **Activity code:** U34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $294,787
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-18 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10974795

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10974795, Distance-based Exercise to preserve Function and prevENt Disability (DEFEND) (1U34CA293568-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10974795. Licensed CC0.

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