Can a phone app help young cancer survivors get healthy?
NCT ID NCT05887401
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested whether a mobile program could help young adult cancer survivors (ages 18-39) increase physical activity and improve their diet. The program included behavioral lessons, an activity tracker, and simplified diet monitoring using a traffic-light approach. The study enrolled 72 participants and focused on whether the program was feasible and acceptable, not on whether it actually improved health outcomes.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- mobile health intervention (behavioral lessons, activity tracker, dietary monitoring)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a practical, scalable program to help young cancer survivors adopt healthier habits after treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study (72 participants) testing feasibility, not effectiveness. Results may not apply to all survivors, and the program may not lead to lasting behavior change.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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72 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2023
- Finished
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Sep 2024
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 39 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Current age 18-39 years at the time of consent * Diagnosed with invasive cancer malignancy between the ages of 15-39 years * Diagnosed with invasive malignancy in the last 10 years of diagnosis, and with no evidence of progressive disease or second primary cancers * Completed active cancer directed therapy (cytotoxic chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or definitive surgical intervention), except may be receiving "maintenance" therapy to prevent recurrences * No pre-existing medical conditions(s) that preclude adherence to an unsupervised exercise program including cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, pulmonary conditions, renal disease, and severe orthopedic conditions * Not currently meeting guideline recommendations of 150 minutes/week moderate to vigorous physical activity (self-report) and guideline recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption (self-report) * Have the ability to read, write and speak English * Have access to the Internet on at least a weekly basis * Possession and usage of an Internet e-mail address or willingness to sign up for a free email account (e.g., gmail) * Have smartphone with internet access and text messaging plan * Be willing to be randomized to any condition Exclusion Criteria: * History of heart attack or stroke within past 6 months * Untreated hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes, unless permission is provided by their health care provider * Health problems which preclude ability to walk for physical activity * Report a diagnosis of psychiatric diseases (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression leading to hospitalization in the past year), drug or alcohol dependency * Report a past diagnosis of or treatment for a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) eating disorder (anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa) * Plans for major surgery (e.g., breast reconstruction) during the study time frame * Current participation in another physical activity or weight control program * Currently using prescription weight loss medications * Currently pregnant, pregnant within the past 6 months, or planning to become pregnant within the next 6 months * Currently exercising \> 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity * Currently consuming \> 5 servings of fruits and vegetables/day.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
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