Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40940970›Full record

ArticleCancers2025

Role of Qualified Exercise Professionals in Medical Clearance for Exercise: Alberta Cancer Exercise Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study.

Margaret L McNeely, Tanya Williamson, Shirin M Shallwani, Leslie Ternes, Christopher Sellar, Anil Abraham Joy, Harold Lau, Jacob Easaw, Adam Brown, Kerry S Courneya and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Margaret L McNeelyDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-4376-4847
Tanya WilliamsonFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
Shirin M ShallwaniDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
Leslie TernesDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
Christopher SellarDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
Anil Abraham JoyDepartment of Oncology, University of Alberta, 11560 University Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada.
Harold LauFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-0947-933X
Jacob EasawMedical Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, 11560 University Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G IZ2, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-5270-1050
Adam BrownDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
Kerry S CourneyaFaculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, 1-113 University Hall, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H9, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-9677-3918
S Nicole Culos-ReedFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.

Funding

Alberta Cancer Foundation 2019Alberta Innovates Cancer Research Prevention Opportunity 2016
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent guidelines endorse the integration of exercise into cancer care. The diagnosis of cancer and its treatment, however, may introduce factors that make exercise engagement difficult, especially for individuals with advanced stages of disease. In this paper, we describe the baseline screening and triage process implemented for the Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE) hybrid effectiveness-implementation study and share findings that highlight the multifaceted complexity of the process and the direct role of the clinical exercise physiologist (CEP).

methodsACE was a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study examining the benefit of 12-week cancer-specific community-based exercise program. The ACE screening process was developed by integrating evidence-based guidelines with oncology rehabilitation expertise to ensure safe and standardized participation across cancer populations. The screening process involved four steps: (1) a pre-screen for high-risk cancers, (2) completion of a cancer-specific intake form and the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+), (3) a CEP-led interview to further evaluate cancer status, cancer-related symptoms and other health issues (performed in-person or by phone), and (4) a baseline fitness assessment that included measurement of vital signs.

resultsA total of 2596 individuals registered and underwent prescreening for ACE with 2570 (86.6%) consenting to participate. After full screening including the baseline fitness testing, 209 participants (8.1%) were identified as requiring further medical clearance. Of these, 191 (91.4%) had either a high-risk cancer, metastatic disease or were in the palliative end-stage of cancer, and 161 (84.3%) reported cancer-related symptoms potentially affecting their ability to exercise. In total, 806 (31.4%) participants were triaged to CEP-supervised in-person programming, 1754 (68.2%) participants to ACE community programming, and 8 (0.3%) specifically to virtual programming (post-COVID-19 option).

conclusionsThe findings highlight the complexity and challenges of the screening and triage process, and the value of a highly trained CEP-led iterative approach that included the application of clinical reasoning.

Indexed as

cancer survivorshipexerciseimplementationknowledge translationphysical activityscreeningtriage

Identifiers

PMID40940970
PMCPMC12427272

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.