Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

BreastCancerPEP: A Six-Month Online Empowerment Program to Improve Mental and Physical Health in Women With Breast Cancer

This study is looking at a new, online program called BreastCancerPEP for women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. It runs for six months and aims to help improve both mental and physical health. The program offers daily guidance through videos and emails on things like gentle exercise, arm rehabilitation, ways to manage stress, healthy habits, and social support. Researchers want to see if this program can reduce feelings of upset and improve overall well-being more than just standard cancer care alone. About 160 women in Nova Scotia will take part, with some starting the program right away and others after six months. Everyone will fill out online questionnaires to track their progress.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Gabriela Ilie

Enrolment target

160

Start

15 Mar 2026

Estimated completion

15 Mar 2029

Breast Cancer

What is this study about?

This study, called BreastCancerPEP, is all about helping women who have recently been told they have breast cancer. The aim is to see if a special online program helps them feel better both mentally and physically during and after their treatment. The program lasts for six months and you can do it from home using videos and emails.

It covers lots of useful things like gentle exercises, rehabilitation for your arm and shoulder (which can be affected by surgery), ways to reduce stress, advice on healthy living, and even offers social support. The main goal is to find out if taking part in this program can reduce distress and improve overall well-being better than just receiving the usual cancer care.

We'll be looking at things like your general health, how you feel about your quality of life, and what you think of the program itself. This study is important because it could help doctors understand new ways to support women with breast cancer, making difficult times a little easier to manage.

Key takeaways

It's an online program helping women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.
Focuses on improving mental and physical health through exercise, stress relief, and healthy living.
You'll use videos and emails from home for six months.
Participation involves online questionnaires over 12 months.
Everyone eventually gets access to the program.
It's for women 18+ in Nova Scotia with internet access.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and have been recently diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. You'll need to be planning to have breast cancer surgery, and possibly chemotherapy too. It's important that you're well enough to do some light to moderate physical activity; if you've had certain heart problems in the past year, you'd need a doctor's note saying exercise is safe for you.

You also need to live in Nova Scotia and be able to access the internet regularly on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. You should be comfortable opening emails and watching videos online, and be able to read and understand English. If you need a little help from a family member to manage the online parts, that's okay.

However, you can't join if you have a medical condition that would make it unsafe to do very light exercise at home, or if you simply don't have the internet access or a suitable device to take part in the online program.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you been recently diagnosed with invasive breast cancer?
Are you planning to have breast cancer surgery (and perhaps chemotherapy)?
Can you safely do gentle to moderate physical activity at home?
Do you live in Nova Scotia and have regular internet access on a device like a computer or smartphone?
Can you read and understand English well enough for online videos and surveys?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll be involved for about 12 months in total. When you join, you'll complete some online questionnaires. You'll then be randomly placed into one of two groups. One group will start the online BreastCancerPEP program straight away, and the other group will continue with their usual cancer care for six months before getting access to the program.

While you're on the program (which lasts for six months), you'll receive daily emails with guidance on physical activity, arm exercises, stress relief, and healthy living. You'll have access to a video library and might be able to join optional group video calls or a peer support system. You'll also be asked to complete short weekly surveys about how closely you're following the program. Everyone will complete online questionnaires again at 6 months and 12 months after starting the study. A small number of people might also be invited for a chat with the researchers to share their experiences.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could offer you the benefit of learning new ways to manage your physical and mental health during a challenging time, potentially improving your well-being. Even if you're in the group that waits, you will still get access to the program later. The main risks are generally low, as the exercises are designed to be gentle and done at home. However, as with any physical activity, there's always a very small chance of minor injury or discomfort. Your personal information will be kept confidential. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre
Verified postcode
Halifax, Canada

Common questions

What is the BreastCancerPEP program?

It's a six-month online program for women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, offering daily guidance on exercise, stress relief, healthy habits, and support.

How long will I be in the study?

You'll be involved for about 12 months, including the 6-month program and follow-up questionnaires.

Do I need special equipment for the exercises?

No, the exercises use household items or elastic bands, and are designed for home.

What if I don't feel comfortable with computers?

You need regular internet access and to be able to open links and watch videos, but a family member can help you if needed.

What does 'randomly assigned' mean?

It means a computer will decide whether you start the program right away or wait six months before getting access to it, like flipping a coin.

How to find out more

Gabriela Ilie, PhD

gabriela.ilie@dal.ca 902-989-4114 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.