Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41529252›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2026

An App-Based Behavioral Support Intervention Promoting Physical Activity (APPROACH) in Patients Diagnosed With Breast, Prostate, or Colorectal Cancer: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Fiona Kennedy, Sue L Smith, Rebecca J Beeken, Caroline Buck, Leanne Shearsmith, Hannah Truscott, Nicholas Counsell, Chloe Thomas, Anna Roberts, Diana M Greenfield and 10 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

20 authors.

Fiona KennedyLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4910-2505
Sue L SmithDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0193-0328
Rebecca J BeekenLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8287-9351
Caroline BuckDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6663-3842
Leanne ShearsmithLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6575-0529
Hannah TruscottLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4316-639X
Nicholas CounsellCancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre, Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0688-9192
Chloe ThomasSheffield Centre for Health and Related Research, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8704-3262
Anna RobertsDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8224-6308
Diana M GreenfieldSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3733-2717
Henry Ww PottsInstitute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6200-8804
Nicholas LatimerSheffield Centre for Health and Related Research, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5304-5585
Ed LowtherUCL Advanced Research Computing Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0556-5245
Lee SmithThe Centre for Health, Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5340-9833
Rosie StevensLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8288-2226
Amy CreaserLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3326-3678
Jacqui GathIndependent Cancer Patients' Voice (ICPV), London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8875-5894
Lynda WyldDepartment of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4046-5940
Abigail Fisher *Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9284-6780
Phillippa Lally *University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4847-4163

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStrong evidence highlights that sufficient physical activity (PA) has multiple benefits for people living with and beyond cancer. However, many are not meeting PA recommendations. APPROACH is a trial of a theory-driven, app-based behavioral support intervention to promote brisk walking after breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer.

objectiveThe aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

methodsAPPROACH is a multicenter, phase III, 2-armed, individually randomized controlled trial (N=472). We will recruit patients with localized breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer from hospitals in Yorkshire and surrounding areas in the North of England, United Kingdom, and randomize them 1:1 between the intervention and control arm (usual care). The intervention consists of an app designed for the general population to encourage brisk walking (NHS Active 10), supplemented with habit-based behavioral support, including 2 brief telephone or video calls, a leaflet, website, and walking planners. The primary endpoint is the difference between trial arms in the changes from baseline in activPAL-assessed average minutes of brisk walking (≥100 steps per minute) after 3 months. Demographic and medical characteristics will be collected through self-report and hospital records. Secondary outcomes (assessed at 0, 3, and 6 months) will be the other activPAL-assessed outcomes (brisk walking at 6 months, total steps, light PA, standing time, and sitting times, weekly metabolic equivalent of task), self-reported PA, and self-reported BMI and waist circumference. Patient-reported outcome measures of quality of life, fatigue, sleep, anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, habit strength for walking, and social support will also be collected. Interviews will explore experiences of receiving the intervention. We will use health economic modeling to estimate the cost-effectiveness of the intervention over a lifetime horizon.

resultsThe study was funded in June 2019. Trial recruitment commenced in November 2023 and is planned to be completed in 2025. As of December 2025, a total of 473 participants have been randomized. The publication of the main results is expected in autumn 2027 after all follow-up data collection and analysis are complete.

conclusionsOverall findings will determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the intervention for patients diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer. If successful, APPROACH provides a potential model of supportive care to increase PA among people living with and beyond cancer.

trial registrationISRCTN Registry ISRCTN14149329; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14149329. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/77096.

Indexed as

Behavior TherapyBreast NeoplasmsColorectal NeoplasmsExerciseHealth PromotionMobile ApplicationsProstatic NeoplasmsAgedCost-Benefit AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMulticenter Studies as TopicQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as Topicappcancercost-effectivenesshabit-based behavioral supportphysical activityquality of liferandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID41529252
PMCPMC12848493

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

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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.