Strength Training Exercise in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Lymphoblastic Lymphoma (STEP-ALL)
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Exercises.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Leukemia, Acute Leukemia, Acute Lymphoid Leukemia, Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Basic parameters: from 6 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children and, along with lymphoblastic lymphoma, represents the most common group of childhood lymphoid malignancies. Survival rates have improved over the years, but many children still experience long-term side effects from treatment. These can include tiredness, weak muscles, pain, nerve problems, difficulty moving, and other physical challenges. Many children with ALL are also overweight at diagnosis, and weight gain often continues during treatment. As a result, about half of childhood leukemia survivors have a BMI at or above the 85th percentile. Treatment decisions are usually based on a child's symptoms and genetic risk factors. However, some risk factors such as physical activity can be modified. Exercise during treatment may help children feel better and may even improve survival. However, research on early symptom tracking and structured exercise during the first phase of chemotherapy is limited, uses different methods, and often does not include reliable patient-reported symptoms. Effective exercise programs for children with ALL and lymphoblastic lymphoma need to consider the child's age, treatment side effects, motivation, family support, and ways to encourage long-term behavior change. Because children spend little time in the hospital during the induction phase, a mix of in-person and virtual sessions supported by real-time Zoom instruction can make it possible to offer safe and supervised exercise at home. This study will use a guided exercise plan that includes tools to track sets, repetitions, intensity, warm-up time, and perceived exertion. These tools help with consistent monitoring and support both patients and caregivers throughout the program. Twenty children newly diagnosed with ALL or lymphoblastic lymphoma who receive standard 3-4 drug induction chemotherapy will be invited to participate. Our goal is to determine whether a 9-week hybrid exercise program, combined with weekly symptom check-ins, is practical and achievable in both hospital and home settings.
Interventions
- Behavioral Exercises
Participants will follow a strength-training routine using rubber resistance bands and their own body weight, completing exercises at least three times per week and recording the time spent on their study form. They will receive ongoing support through optional Zoom or phone check-ins, with the choice to join group online sessions or complete supervised sessions individually. The intervention begins Day 8 and continues through Consolidation Day 29.
Primary outcome measures
- Proportion of subjects completed exercise intervention [Time frame: Up to 9 weeks]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- Ability to capture weekly functional activity [Time frame: Up to 9 weeks]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria for children:
All subjects must meet the following criteria:
- Written informed consent obtained to participate in the study and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information. OR Written assent and parental/legal guardian consent.
- Age >= 6 and < =21 years at the time of diagnosis.
- Newly- diagnosed with one of the following diseases: B-cell or T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
Exclusion Criteria for children:
- Subjects must not be receiving any investigational or additional anti-cancer medicines during induction.
- Significant concurrent disease, illness, or psychiatric disorder or social issue that would compromise subject safety or adherence to the protocol treatment or procedures, interfere with consent, study participation, follow-up, or interpretation of the study results.
Optional caregiver participation:
Inclusion Criteria :All caregivers must meet the following criteria
- Written informed consent to participate in the caregiver interviews.
- The caregiver must be a parent or legal guardian ≥ 18 years old, and their child must be <18 years
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Non-randomized
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center — Chapel Hill
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07634653 · LCCC2541