ProHealth: a co-designed online home-based healthy eating and exercise programme for men with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy - a study protocol for a feasibility and preliminary efficacy randomised controlled trial.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) improves survival in advanced prostate cancer but may lead to debilitating side effects, including sarcopenic obesity and a 10-45% increased risk of other comorbidities. Guidelines recommend exercise and nutrition interventions during ADT, but access to these services is often limited, and referral pathways are unclear. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an online, home-based, multi-faceted, exercise, nutrition and education programme (ProHealth) for men with prostate cancer treated with ADT. ProHealth was co-designed with consumers and healthcare professionals to include (i) education on prostate cancer and treatment-related side effects and (ii) multimedia behaviour change resources to support individualised nutrition and exercise behaviour change.

This 12-week randomised controlled trial (target n=50) will include men treated with ADT for >3 months or who have completed ADT in the last 24 months, are overweight or obese and are not under the care of a dietitian or exercise professional. Participants will be randomised (1:1) to the ProHealth intervention or usual care. The intervention group will receive four consultations with an Accredited Practising Dietitian to promote a high protein and energy reduced diet, and five consultations with an Accredited Exercise Physiologist to follow a home-based progressive resistance training and aerobic exercise programme. The primary outcomes are feasibility (recruitment rate, retention, data completeness, reach, safety, consultation attendance and adherence, and usage of the ProHealth web platform), acceptability and satisfaction of the ProHealth intervention. Exploratory secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 12 weeks and include changes in body weight and composition (total and appendicular fat-free mass, fat mass), quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT)-General, FACT-Prostate, FACT-Fatigue), physical function (30-second sit-to-stand), dietary intake (3-day food diary) and physical activity (7-day accelerometer). Linear regression models will estimate differences between the intervention and usual care group. Qualitative interviews on participant satisfaction will be transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis.

This study is approved by Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (DUHREC2024-038) and registered on Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12624000874516). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, scientific meetings and other public forums.

ACTRN12624000874516.
Cancer
Access
Care/Management
Advocacy
Education

Authors

Baguley Baguley, Daly Daly, Livingston Livingston, Rawstorn Rawstorn, White White, Koorts Koorts, Fraser Fraser, Gardner Gardner, Atkins Atkins, Steer Steer, O O, Heneka Heneka, Abbott Abbott, Russell Russell, McNamara McNamara, Kiss Kiss
View on Pubmed
Share
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Linkedin
Copy to clipboard