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Strength Training Exercise in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Lymphoblastic Lymphoma (STEP-ALL)

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center · NCT07634653

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 6+ · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
40
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
May 1, 2026
Record last updated
August 3, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children and, along with lymphoblastic lymphoma, represents the most common group of childhood lymphoid malignancies. Survival rates have improved over the years, but many children still experience long-term side effects from treatment. These can include tiredness, weak muscles, pain, nerve problems, difficulty moving, and other physical challenges. Many children with ALL are also overweight at diagnosis, and weight gain often continues during treatment. As a result, about half of childhood leukemia survivors have a BMI at or above the 85th percentile.

Treatment decisions are usually based on a child's symptoms and genetic risk factors. However, some risk factors such as physical activity can be modified. Exercise during treatment may help children feel better and may even improve survival. However, research on early symptom tracking and structured exercise during the first phase of chemotherapy is limited, uses different methods, and often does not include reliable patient-reported symptoms.

Effective exercise programs for children with ALL and lymphoblastic lymphoma need to consider the child's age, treatment side effects, motivation, family support, and ways to encourage long-term behavior change. Because children spend little time in the hospital during the induction phase, a mix of in-person and virtual sessions supported by real-time Zoom instruction can make it possible to offer safe and supervised exercise at home.

This study will use a guided exercise plan that includes tools to track sets, repetitions, intensity, warm-up time, and perceived exertion. These tools help with consistent monitoring and support both patients and caregivers throughout the program. Twenty children newly diagnosed with ALL or lymphoblastic lymphoma who receive standard 3-4 drug induction chemotherapy will be invited to participate. Our goal is to determine whether a 9-week hybrid exercise program, combined with weekly symptom check-ins, is practical and achievable in both hospital and home settings.

Being studied: Exercises

Conditions: Leukemia; Acute Leukemia; Acute Lymphoid Leukemia; Lymphoblastic Lymphoma; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria for children

All subjects must meet the following criteria:

  • Written informed consent obtained to participate in the study and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information. OR Written assent and parental/legal guardian consent.
  • Age >= 6 and \< =21 years at the time of diagnosis.
  • Newly- diagnosed with one of the following diseases: B-cell or T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

Exclusion Criteria for children

  • Subjects must not be receiving any investigational or additional anti-cancer medicines during induction.
  • Significant concurrent disease, illness, or psychiatric disorder or social issue that would compromise subject safety or adherence to the protocol treatment or procedures, interfere with consent, study participation, follow-up, or interpretation of the study results.

Optional caregiver participation

Inclusion Criteria :All caregivers must meet the following criteria

  • Written informed consent to participate in the caregiver interviews.
  • The caregiver must be a parent or legal guardian ≥ 18 years old, and their child must be \<18 years

Recruiting US locations

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Chapel Hill, NC 27599

    Site contact: Juanita Cuffee · 919-966-0017 · cuffee@med.unc.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Jessica Buddenbaum, MS · 919-966-4432 · jessica_buddenbaum@med.unc.edu
  • Juanita Cuffee · 919-216-0463 · cuffee@med.unc.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in North Carolina →
Strength Training Exercise in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic… (NCT07634653) | Bored Studies