Helping cancer survivors keep up regular physical activity
Official title: Making Healthy Habits Stick: Extended Contact Interventions to Promote Long-Term Physical Activity in Cancer Survivors
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-11396214 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares text-message reminders and peer coaching to help cancer survivors maintain regular physical activity after a 3-month starter program.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $613,717 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD018375-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396214 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adult cancer survivors who have finished primary treatment and are currently not meeting physical activity guidelines.
✕Less likely to help
People who are still undergoing active cancer treatment, who already meet activity guidelines, or who have medical limitations preventing exercise may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would begin with a 3-month, theory-based program to adopt regular physical activity. After that, 260 cancer survivors are randomly assigned in a 2 x 2 design to receive text-message support, peer coaching, both, or neither as extended contact. Your physical activity will be tracked with devices like accelerometers and through questionnaires over the follow-up period. The team will compare which combination best helps people keep activity levels up over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make it easier for cancer survivors to keep exercising long-term, improving fitness, quality of life, and lowering risks like obesity and other health problems.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies and preliminary data have produced modest short-term gains with similar supports, but long-term maintenance remains uncertain and this trial builds on that work.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martin, Michelle — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Martin, Michelle
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Telehealth exercise program to help rural breast cancer survivors fight fatigue
A telehealth exercise program is being tested to reduce cancer-related fatigue in rural breast cancer survivors.
-
Understanding how survivorship care plans affect health outcomes for cancer survivors
A study will look at whether survivorship care plans help reduce deaths and improve health for adults who have survived cancer.
-
Cancer Pain Management for Asian American Breast Cancer Survivors with Depressive Symptoms
A technology-based program helps Asian American breast cancer survivors with depressive symptoms manage chronic pain more effectively from home using a web app and mobile tools.
-
Social connections and quality of life for kids who survived brain cancer
This project follows pediatric brain cancer survivors as they grow into adults to understand how their social connections affect their happiness and mental well-being.
-
Nutrition and exercise plan to help overweight cancer survivors, using multi-omics to tailor care
A cancer survivorship program combines a tailored diet and exercise plan with multi-omics data to personalize care for adults with overweight or obesity.
-
Addressing financial hardship for cancer patients and their caregivers
A new NIH-funded project aims to develop a practical, adaptable program to reduce financial toxicity for people with cancer and those who care for them.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.