Study of Cognitively Challenging Physical Activity to Improve Thinking and Movement in Children and Teens with Cancer Undergoing Treatment

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how cognitively challenging physical activity affects children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years undergoing acute cancer therapy. This study aims to see if adding cognitive tasks to exercise improves thinking skills and motor performance compared to standard care. It builds on evidence that physical activity benefits cancer patients by enhancing fitness, sleep, fatigue, body image, and overall quality of life without harming treatment success. Participants are divided into two groups. One group receives usual care with general physical activity recommendations. The other group takes part in a specially designed 12-week program combining physical and cognitive exercises. These supervised sessions last 45 minutes, three times a week, with varying intensity tailored to each participants condition. After the program, personalized exercise advice is provided to help reintegrate patients into everyday physical activities. Throughout the study, participants undergo several assessments using tasks like the Hearts and Flowers Task and Fish-Flanker Task to measure executive functions at baseline, six weeks, twelve weeks, and six months. Additional evaluations include tests of self-regulation, frailty, cardiovascular health, body composition, quality of life, fatigue, motor abilities, and physical activity enjoyment. Researchers also monitor exercise adherence and intervention feasibility, collecting data through diaries, questionnaires, and devices over the course of treatment and follow-up.

Effect of Cognitively Challenging Physical Activity on Executive Functions in Pediatric Cancer Patients