Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40616105›Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary medicine and therapies2025

Project HERO: a randomized trial of Tai Chi qigong versus intensity-matched exercise and usual care for fatigue in older male cancer survivors.

Anita Y Kinney, Jinghua An, Yong Lin, Samuel Tundealao, Biren Saraiya, Shou-En Lu, Dolores D Guest, Elizabeth M Harding, Fabiano Amorim, Emily Heidt and 7 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03345563 (Biobehavioral Effects of Tai Chi Qigong), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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.

NCT03345563 nacompletednot on this map

Biobehavioral Effects of Tai Chi Qigong (TCQ) for Male Cancer Survivors With Fatigue (HERO)

TypeinterventionalSponsorRutgers, The State University of New JerseyRan2017 to 2023Enrolled113ConditionsProstate Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Colon CancerArmsBody Mind Training (BMT), Body Training (BT):, Usual Care (UC)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
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

17 authors.

Anita Y KinneyDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA. anita.kinney@rutgers.edu.
Jinghua AnRutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Yong LinDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Samuel TundealaoDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Biren SaraiyaRutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Shou-En LuDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Dolores D GuestUniversity of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Elizabeth M HardingUniversity of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Fabiano AmorimDepartment of Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Emily HeidtRutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Evelyn Arana-ChicasRutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Chunxia ChenDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Tawny BoyceUniversity of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Isaac Y KimYale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA.
Wadih ArapRutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Cindy K BlairUniversity of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Michael R IrwinDepartment of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Funding

TRANSCRIPTIONAL PROFILINGP30CA072720 · NCI · UNIV OF MED/DENT NJ-R W JOHNSON MED SCH · PI Chang S Chan · 1997 to 2026
$94.5M
UNM HSC Clinical and Translational Science CenterUL1TR001449 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR · PI CAMPEN, MATTHEW J, PANDHI, NANCY · 2015 to 2024
$36.9M
NJ ACTS: A Platform for Translational Science in New JerseyUM1TR004789 · NCATS · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES · PI Reynold Alexander Panettieri · 2024 to 2026
$16.8M
National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health P30CA072720National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health R01CA203939NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001449NCATS NIH HHS UM1 TR004789NCI NIH HHS P30 CA072720New Jersey Alliance for Clinical Translational Science 1UM1TR004789UNM Clinical and Translational Science Center UL1TR001449-04
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFatigue is often one of the most commonly reported symptoms in older male cancer survivors, but it is also one of the least understood cancer-related symptoms. Fatigue is associated with psychological distress, disruptions in sleep quality, and impairments in health-related quality of life. Thus, elective treatments for fatigue in older male cancer survivors represent a current unmet need. Prior research has shown that Tai Chi Qigong (TCQ), a mind-body exercise intervention, can improve physical and emotional health. Therefore, we compared the efficacy of Tai Chi Qigong (TCQ) versus exercise intensity-matched (EIM) and usual care in older, male cancer survivors with fatigue.

methodsWe conducted a three-arm, single-blind randomized controlled trial where older (55 + years), male cancer survivors with fatigue participated in usual care or one of two supervised group exercise programs: TCQ or EIM twice weekly for 12 weeks. Participants were followed up for 12 months. The primary outcome was patient-reported fatigue at 3-months post-intervention.

resultsA cohort of men (n = 113) were enrolled (mean age: 69.1 (±7.0) years. In the primary outcome analysis, there were no significant within-arm or between-arm differences in fatigue (p-value, NS). However, the TCQ and EIM arms showed significant within-arm improvement in fatigue immediately post-intervention (p-value < 0.05). There were no differences in class attendance for either TCQ or EIM, with an average attendance rate of 78.4% and 76.8%, respectively.

conclusionWe found no significant or clinically meaningful improvements in fatigue for TCQ or EIM relative to usual care at the 3-month follow-up. However, significant improvements in fatigue were observed immediately after completion of the 12-week TCQ and EIM programs. This study suggests that TCQ and light intensity activity may lead to improvements in fatigue immediately after the group exercise program among older, fatigued male cancer survivors. However, the observed improvements did not persist beyond the program, suggesting that long-term maintenance may be required. Further testing is warranted in larger trials that include strategies to sustain both the behavior and the effects.

trial registrationThis study was registered at the NIH clinical trial registry on November 17, 2017 (NCT03345563).

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsExercise TherapyFatigueNeoplasmsQigongTai JiAgedHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeSingle-Blind MethodCancerComplementary therapyFatigueMind-Body therapiesQigongTai Chi

Identifiers

PMID40616105
PMCPMC12228344

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Registered trials

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 OpenQuestion graph.