Can a virtual buddy system get older cancer patients moving?
NCT ID NCT07408128
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether a virtual exercise program with peer support helps older adults (60+) with cancer become more active and feel better. Participants are matched with a peer and receive guidance from exercise professionals or just peer support, compared to usual care. Over 10 weeks, they track activity with a Fitbit and report on quality of life and social support. The goal is to see if this approach can reduce isolation and improve well-being.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- peer support and exercise program
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a scalable way to help older adults with cancer stay physically active and socially connected, improving their quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 183 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The intervention relies on internet access and motivation, which may limit participation.
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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Phase 2/3
Runs two stages together: whether the treatment works, then large-scale confirmation.
- Participants
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About 183 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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May 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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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60 years and older
- 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: 1. English speaking; 2. older adults (\>60 years); 3. living beyond a cancer diagnosis (any type or stage of cancer at any stage of treatment); 4. living in Canada; 5. have been medically cleared for exercise; and 6. have consistent access to a internet-connected mobile device. Exclusion Criteria: 1. self-report any chronic condition, cognitive impairment, or injury that prevents participation in independent moderate intensity exercise, 2. do not pass medical clearance via the Get Active Questionnaire, or 3. had recent (in the last 4 weeks) or have planned surgery of any kind (including reconstructive surgery) in the next 6 months
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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McMaster University
RECRUITINGHamilton, Ontario, L8S1C7, Canada
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