EXTRA-PC: Behavioral Exercise Training to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Men Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy

The purpose of EXTRA-PC is to test if participating in physical activity or health education classes help preserve exercise capabilities, heart function, strength and quality of life during treatment.

Publications Testimonials

Study Outline

During the 6-month program there are three study visits:

Baseline
3-Months
6-Months

After your first visit you will be randomized into either the physical activity group or the healthy education group. You will be compensated for your participation.

Testing Visit Activities:

Questionnaires
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)
Cardiac MRI
Blood Draws & Short Nurse Visits
Six-Minute Walk
Physical Activity Monitoring
Body Composition Testing

Groups

Physical Activity Group

In this group, men will be encouraged to complete 2-3 exercise sessions at home each week. Men will also receive real time supervision from the study intervention team and be able to meet with other participants via Zoom.

A trained exercise professional will help men find ways to stay active at home based on their experience and schedule. Each session lasts about 30-60 minutes.

Healthy Living Education Group

In this group, men will attend 2-4 health workshops online each month. Sessions are offered over the telephone when a participant is unable to meet in person. The topics discussed include nutrition, stress prevention, tips for treatment side effects, and more. Each 60-minute session ends with an instructor led physical activity routine.

Study Visit Testing

Study visits occur over 2 separate days in the VCU Health North Hospital Cardiac MRI Imaging Suite & the Kinesiology & Health Sciences Labs

Physical Activity Sessions

The Physical Activity group will occur remotely and at home facilitated by a software platform (application for smartphone or PC).

Healthy Living Sessions

Sessions for the Healthy Living Group willall occur remotely online via Zoom.

Cardio-Pulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)

This clinically supervised performance test measures exercise capacity while a physician and other trained observers are present to ensure participant's safety throughout.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An MRI uses magnetism to build detailed, high-definition images of the inside of the heart, showing the strength of the heart muscle.

Participants lie on the scanner bed with pillows under their head and knees. Head- phones are used to provide two-way communication with the MRI technicians during the scan.

Publications

Major adverse cardiovascular events among Black and White Veterans receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: a retrospective cohort study

Alexander R Lucas, Dustin Bastiach, Bassam Dahman, Asit K Paul, Samina Hirani, Vanessa B Sheppard, W Gregory Hundley, Bhaumik B Patel, Rhonda L Bitting, Michael G Chang

Cardio-Oncology, vol. 11, BioMed Central London, 2025, p. 12

The lived experiences and unmet needs of prostate and colorectal male cancer survivors in rural Virginia: A qualitative study

Fariha Tariq, Alexander R Lucas, Sherrick Hill, Malik Philips, Vanessa B Sheppard

The Journal of Rural Health, vol. 41, 2025, pp. e12897

Feasibility of home-based exercise training in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Erik D Hanson, Mohamdod Alzer, Jackson Carver, Cameron K Stopforth, Alexander R Lucas, Young E Whang, Matthew I Milowsky, David B Bartlett, Michael R Harrison, Rhonda L Bitting, others

Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases, vol. 26, Nature Publishing Group UK London, 2023, pp. 302--308

Body composition, physical function and quality of life in healthy men and across different stages of prostate cancer

Erik D Hanson, Cameron K Stopforth, Mohamdod Alzer, Jackson Carver, Alexander R Lucas, Young E Whang, Matthew I Milowsky, David B Bartlett, Michael R Harrison, Alan Hayes, others

Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases, vol. 24, Nature Publishing Group UK London, 2021, pp. 725--732

Effects of a lifestyle intervention on body composition in prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy

Zachary L Chaplow, Brian C Focht, Alexander R Lucas, Elizabeth Grainger, Christina Simpson, Jackie Buell, Ciaran M Fairman, Jennifer M Thomas-Ahner, Jessica Bowman, Victoria R DeScenza, others

JCSM clinical reports, vol. 5, 2020, pp. 52--60

Effects of a group-mediated cognitive behavioral lifestyle intervention on select social cognitive outcomes in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy

Brian C Focht, Alexander R Lucas, Elizabeth Grainger, Christina Simpson, Ciaran M Fairman, Jennifer M Thomas-Ahner, Zachary L Chaplow, Victoria R DeScenza, Jessica Bowman, Steven K Clinton

Integrative cancer therapies, vol. 18, Sage Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA, 2019, p. 1534735419893764

Monitoring resistance exercise intensity using ratings of perceived exertion in previously untrained patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy

Ciaran M Fairman, Richard L LaFountain, Alexander R Lucas, Brian C Focht

The Journal of Strength \& Conditioning Research, vol. 32, LWW, 2018, pp. 1360--1365

Effects of a group-mediated exercise and dietary intervention in the treatment of prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy: results from the IDEA-P trial

Brian C Focht, Alexander R Lucas, Elizabeth Grainger, Christina Simpson, Ciaran M Fairman, Jennifer M Thomas-Ahner, Jackie Buell, J Paul Monk, Amir Mortazavi, Steven K Clinton

Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 52, Oxford University Press US, 2018, pp. 412--428

Effects of exercise on disablement process model outcomes in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.

Brian C Focht, Steven K Clinton, Alexander R Lucas, Nate Saunders, Elizabeth Grainger, Jennifer M Thomas-Ahner

The Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology, vol. 12, 2014, pp. 278--292

The Individualized Diet and Exercise Adherence Pilot Trial (IDEA-P) in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Brian C Focht, Alexander R Lucas, Elizabeth Grainger, Christina Simpson, Jennifer M Thomas-Ahner, Steven K Clinton

Trials, vol. 15, BioMed Central London, 2014, p. 354