Get strong to fight childhood cancer - an exercise intervention for children and adolescents undergoing anti-cancer treatment (FORTEe): Rationale and design of a randomized controlled exercise trial

Abstract

Despite substantial advances in treatment, children and adolescents with cancer continue to face high morbidity and health issues, including cancer-related fatigue, treatment-related complications, and physical inactivity. Integrating exercise into pediatric oncology care has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate these burdens during cancer treatment. While preliminary data support its potential to reduce treatment-related side effects and enhance quality of life, robust evidence -especially from large, multicenter trials- remains limited. As a progress beyond the current state-of-the-art, FORTEe has the ambition to implement pediatric exercise oncology as an evidence-based treatment option for all childhood cancer patients, ultimately integrating it as a standard into clinical practice worldwide.