Advancing the implementation of quality-assured oncological exercise therapy in Germany: protocol for the IMPLEMENT project

Abstract Background Although quality-assured oncological exercise therapy (qOET) has proven effective for cancer patients at any stage of treatment and during aftercare, it is not yet incorporated into standard care in Germany and, to the best of our knowledge, in any other country. A collaboration involving eight German research institutions was initiated to investigate the barriers and facilitators to implementation and promote the wider dissemination of qOET for cancer patients across various settings in Germany. Methods The IMPLEMENT project is designed as an exploratory study with a quasi-experimental design and a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection. Institutions involved in the treatment and/or aftercare of cancer patients will be approached to identify key barriers and facilitators of qOET. Based on these findings, a set of implementation strategies (IPS) will be developed, implemented, and evaluated to facilitate the delivery of qOET for cancer patients. We aim to develop a variety of IPS for different contexts: urban settings (e.g. qualifying local aftercare institutions to provide qOET); rural settings (e.g. a hybrid approach for areas with limited access to local qOET services); adult cancer patients (e.g. focussing on patient education); and children and young cancer patients (e.g. offering consultations with training therapy experts). Additionally, interface management, training concepts, digital support, and economic evaluation will be considered to further promote the wider dissemination of qOET. The impact of the IPS will primarily be measured by the reach of qOET, assessed by comparing the number of cancer patients receiving qOET before and after implementation. Discussion The aim of IMPLEMENT is to address key barriers and facilitators for the implementation of qOET in Germany, and to increase the number of cancer patients receiving qOET in the long term. Following the project, successful IPS will be disseminated for broader application. The IMPLEMENT consortium aims to make a significant contribution to the long-term integration of qOET into the standard care of cancer patients in Germany and prospectively for other countries as well. Trial registration Clin. Trials: NCT06496711. German Clinical Trial Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien - DRKS): 00032292. Bavarian Cancer Research Center (Bayerisches Krebsforschungszentrum (BZKF bzw. ZKS): DZ-2024-2165-9