Yoga-based lifestyle prehabilitation for women with ovarian cancer

Comprehensive Yoga Therapy Based Lifestyle Prehabilitation Program for Women With Ovarian Cancer

This program will see if a comprehensive yoga therapy, nutrition, and psychosocial prehabilitation package helps women with advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are starting chemotherapy and will have surgery.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: Female
• Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Academic / other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy
• Locations: 1 site (Houston, Texas)
• Trial ID: NCT06545604 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This interventional program delivers comprehensive yoga therapy combined with nutritional, physical, and psychosocial prehabilitation to women with stage III–IV ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer scheduled for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery. Participants are assigned to the CYT program or a usual-care/wait-list control and complete virtual sessions plus baseline and follow-up assessments. The primary aim is feasibility, defined by consent (≥30% of eligible patients) and retention (≥60% through the last follow-up), and secondary outcomes include physical performance (2-minute step test, 30-second sit-to-stand), surgical outcomes, patient-reported quality of life, labs (albumin, vitamin D, magnesium), microbiome diversity, and CT-based body composition. The intervention requires internet access and a tablet/computer/phone for virtual participation and is conducted with surgery planned at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Women aged 18 or older with stage III–IV epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are slated for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery, can read/write/speak English, have performance status 0–2, have internet and a device for virtual sessions, and plan surgery at MD Anderson.

Not a fit: Patients who have already completed chemotherapy, have major thought disorders or severe communication/cognitive impairments, extreme mobility limitations, or an established regular mind-body/yoga practice are unlikely to benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve preoperative fitness, quality of life, and potentially reduce postoperative complications and speed recovery.

How similar studies have performed: Previous prehabilitation and yoga interventions in cancer populations have shown improvements in fitness and quality of life, but randomized evidence specific to neoadjuvant ovarian cancer is limited.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Women with stage III-IV epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritonal cancer with recommendations for NACT/IDS at recruitment.
2. Able to read, write, and speak English.
3. 18 years of age or older.
4. Oriented to person, place, and time.
5. Access to internet connection.
6. Access to a tablet, laptop or computer or smart phone.
7. Access and ability to do virtual sessions.

9\. Plan for surgical intervention at MD Anderson Cancer Center 9. Performance status 0-2.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Have completed chemotherapy.
2. Any major thought disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, dementia).
3. Any major communication barriers that would preclude being able to complete the intervention (e.g., visually or hearing impaired).
4. Extreme mobility issues (e.g., unable to get in and out of a chair unassisted).
5. Have a regular mind-body practice or an established yoga practice.

Where this trial is running

Houston, Texas

• MD Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, Texas, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Lois Ramondetta, MD — M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
• Study coordinator: Lois Ramondetta, MD

Conditions Ovarian Cancer