The ECHO-R Trial

The ECHO-R trial is a Phase II trial evaluating the feasibility, safety and efficacy of an individually tailored exercise intervention during chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer.

The exercise intervention, delivered by accredited exercise physiologists, spans 6-months in duration and commences immediately following a baseline assessment. The intervention is delivered over the telephone or via tele-health options such as zoom and skype, supplemented by five face to face exercise sessions (this intervention feature aligns with Australia’s Chronic Disease Management Plan, which allows for up to five reimbursable visits per year with an accredited exercise physiologist).

What’s Different about our Exercise Trials?

The ECHO-R trial offers the individual prescription of aerobic- and resistance-based exercise at a moderate-intensity (or higher) to accumulate approximately 150+ minutes of exercise per week. The exercise professional prescribes and monitors the type, duration and frequency of exercise on a weekly basis and modifies the prescription according to the presence of symptoms while adhering to the exercise principle of gradual progression.

Who is eligible for the trial?

Approximately 1530 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and more than half of these women will go on to develop recurrent disease. ECHO-R is open to all women diagnosed with recurrent ovarian cancer, including those with more rare subtypes, who are typically excluded from participating in clinical trials.

The trial is recruiting women who are:

• 18 years and over,
• diagnosed with recurrent ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer
• with a platinum-free interval of at least 6 months (platinum-sensitive disease),
• sufficiently fluent in English to complete data collection and comprehend intervention requirements, and
• scheduled to receive (or currently receiving) chemotherapy.

There is a pressing need to determine if exercise therapy is important for cancer cohorts with lower-survival and higher morbidity, such as is the case for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. The ECHO-R trial has been designed to ensure the translation of our research findings into clinical practice is both possible and rapid. Specifically, this trial will determine if the exercise offered to other cancer patients is also acceptable to women with recurrent ovarian cancer. If participation in existing services/programs is considered infeasible, unsafe and/or likely ineffective, this trial will identify the changes required to address the needs of women living with recurrent ovarian cancer.

For further information about the trial and participation, please contact the ECHO-R research team at echo@griffith.edu.au