Home-Based Physical Activity Program With Digital App Versus Health Education Group for Improving Physical Activity Among Patients With Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, The EMPOWER Trial

Last updated: February 11, 2026
Sponsor: University of Washington
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Urothelial Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Treatment

Interview

Questionnaire Administration

Electronic Health Record Review

Clinical Study ID

NCT07302230
RG1125987
21052
NCI-2025-08850
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders

Study Summary

This clinical trial compares how well a home-based personalized physical activity program (PAP) that is delivered by a digital application (app) (the ExerciseRx app) works compared to health education in improving physical activity for patients with bladder cancer that has not reached the muscle wall of the bladder (non-muscle invasive). For people who are not physically active, previous studies have shown that increasing step counts can reduce incidence of death, reduce frailty, and reduce healthcare costs. The ExerciseRx app tracks adherence to home exercise, adapts step count goals based on the patient's progress, and provides encouraging feedback and motivation from the healthcare team. Additional features include activity summaries, progress towards current goal, nudges, helpful facts about the benefits of activity, and ideas for how to incorporate daily movement. A home-based PAP using the ExerciseRx app may work better in increasing physical activity among patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer compared to a health education only group.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults (age >= 18 years)

  • Prior diagnosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), currently onsurveillance or receiving maintenance intravesical therapy (including intravesicalchemotherapy, immunotherapy)

  • Classified as insufficiently active on the Physical Activity as a Vital Sign (PAVS)assessment

  • Has an Android or Apple Smartphone/Tablet

  • Ambulatory

  • English-speaking

  • Willing and able to participate in study activities and sign the informed consentform

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe cognitive or memory impairment/dementia precluding ability to followinstructions or participate in survey assessments

  • Inability to read or understand English

  • Lack of access or lack of sufficient facility to use an Android or iOS smart devicewith the minimum criteria to run the ExerciseRx app

  • Not receiving treatment at University of Washington (UW)

  • Orthopedic, neurologic, or other problems that prevent safe ambulation and protocoladherence. Information on prior falls and other recent orthopedic or neurologicproblems will be used to make judgment about protocol eligibility

  • Inability/Unwillingness to participate in a personalized exercise program

  • Current diagnosis with muscle-invasive or metastatic bladder cancer

  • Uncontrolled or concurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or activeinfection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiacarrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliancewith study requirements

  • Lack of access or lack of sufficient facility to use an Android or iOS smart devicewith the minimum criteria for using the ExerciseRx app

  • Participation in a clinical trial that does not permit enrollment in the EMPOWERtrial

Study Design

Total Participants: 100
Treatment Group(s): 8
Primary Treatment: Interview
Phase:
Study Start date:
March 11, 2026
Estimated Completion Date:
May 31, 2027

Study Description

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 groups.

GROUP I (Health Education Group, HEG): Patients receive recommendations from their physicians and an educational pamphlet describing physical activity goals in line with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Survivorship for Healthy Living Guidelines. They receive a FitBit® to wear continuously throughout the study, with the ExerciseRx app locked to the baseline home screen.

GROUP II (PAP INTERVENTION): Patients complete home exercise sessions given via the ExerciseRx app over 20-30 minutes 4 times per week for 12 weeks and receive personalized daily step count goals that gradually increase over the study period. Patients also receive a FitBit® to wear continuously throughout the study, are given access to features of the ExerciseRx app (step count goals, home exercise videos), and receive an educational pamphlet as in Group I.

After completion of the study intervention, patients are followed up at 4 weeks.

Connect with a study center

  • Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium

    Seattle 5809844, Washington 5815135 98109
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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