Does a digital support intervention reduce sedentary behaviour during cancer treatment in individuals with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer? Study protocol for a Swedish multicentre randomised controlled trial
- 1Department of Health Sciences, Innovation and Design, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
- 2Centre for Welfare Change, Department of Health Sciences, Innovation and Design, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
- 3Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala university, Uppsala, Sweden
Abstract
Introduction: Sedentary behaviour increases during cancer treatment, often because of side effects from treatment. However, evidence on interventions specifically targeting sedentary behaviour during active cancer treatment is limited. Therefore, the aims of the reduce sedentary behaviour during cancer treatment (RedSedCan) study are to investigate the effects of sedentary behaviour on health outcomes and to explore the economic, environmental and social sustainability perspectives of a digital support intervention for reducing sedentary behaviour in individuals with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant cancer treatment. In addition, participants’ experiences with the intervention as well as healthcare professionals’ perspectives for supporting individuals with cancer to reduce sedentary behaviour will be explored.
Methods and analysis: A multicentre randomised controlled trial will be conducted with short-term (3 months) and long-term (6, 12 and 24 months) follow-up. After baseline assessments, participants will be randomised into one of two groups as follows: a digital support intervention group or a control group receiving usual care. The digital support intervention—the RedSedCan intervention—consists of access to a home page containing information and tips about how to reduce sedentary behaviour, a commercially available step-counting mobile application, use of mobile phone reminder/alarm functions and four digital meetings with physiotherapists. During these meetings, participants will receive support for setting and reviewing goals. The main outcome is time spent engaging in sedentary behaviour, which is measured with a thigh-worn accelerometer at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include long-term follow-ups, physical activity, health-related outcomes, health economic effects and greenhouse gas emissions from interventions and healthcare. In addition, the experiences of participants undergoing the intervention and the attitudes and perceived barriers and facilitating factors of healthcare professionals for supporting individuals with cancer to reduce sedentary behaviour will be explored qualitatively.
Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval has been obtained from the appropriate ethics review authority. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and other relevant scientific and patient communities.
Trial registration number: NCT06719206.
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BibTeX
@article{radman2026does,
title = {{Does a digital support intervention reduce sedentary behaviour during cancer treatment in individuals with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer? Study protocol for a Swedish multicentre randomised controlled trial}},
author = {Lisa Rådman and Johanna Zetterlund and Petra von Heideken Wågert and Anna Henriksson},
journal = {BMJ Open},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125120},
url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125120},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Does a digital support intervention reduce sedentary behaviour during cancer treatment in individuals with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer? Study protocol for a Swedish multicentre randomised controlled trial
AU - Lisa Rådman
AU - Johanna Zetterlund
AU - Petra von Heideken Wågert
AU - Anna Henriksson
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - BMJ Open
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125120
UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125120
AB - Introduction: Sedentary behaviour increases during cancer treatment, often because of side effects from treatment. However, evidence on interventions specifically targeting sedentary behaviour during active cancer treatment is limited. Therefore, the aims of the reduce sedentary behaviour during cancer treatment (RedSedCan) study are to investigate the effects of sedentary behaviour on health outcomes and to explore the economic, environmental and social sustainability perspectives of a digital support intervention for reducing sedentary behaviour in individuals with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant cancer treatment. In addition, participants’ experiences with the intervention as well as healthcare professionals’ perspectives for supporting individuals with cancer to reduce sedentary behaviour will be explored. Methods and analysis: A multicentre randomised controlled trial will be conducted with short-term (3 months) and long-term (6, 12 and 24 months) follow-up. After baseline assessments, participants will be randomised into one of two groups as follows: a digital support intervention group or a control group receiving usual care. The digital support intervention—the RedSedCan intervention—consists of access to a home page containing information and tips about how to reduce sedentary behaviour, a commercially available step-counting mobile application, use of mobile phone reminder/alarm functions and four digital meetings with physiotherapists. During these meetings, participants will receive support for setting and reviewing goals. The main outcome is time spent engaging in sedentary behaviour, which is measured with a thigh-worn accelerometer at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include long-term follow-ups, physical activity, health-related outcomes, health economic effects and greenhouse gas emissions from interventions and healthcare. In addition, the experiences of participants undergoing the intervention and the attitudes and perceived barriers and facilitating factors of healthcare professionals for supporting individuals with cancer to reduce sedentary behaviour will be explored qualitatively. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval has been obtained from the appropriate ethics review authority. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and other relevant scientific and patient communities. Trial registration number: NCT06719206.
SN - 2044-6055
SN - 2044-6055
ER -