TAILORING EXERCISE FOR ADVANCED PANCREATIC CANCER CARE: UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATING THE PATIENT PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is associated with poor prognosis and high symptom burden. Although exercise is well-known to improve quality of life and mitigate adverse outcomes in cancer care, exercise programming in advanced pancreatic cancer care remains limited. This thesis used a pragmatic qualitative interpretive description approach to explore the exercise experiences and perspectives of individuals living with advanced pancreatic cancer in Canada. Six individuals diagnosed with stage III/IV exocrine pancreatic cancer from across Canada were interviewed and a reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Three themes were identified impacting how exercise was perceived and experienced: (1) Taking control of my journey; (2) Building the motivation; and (3) A program for me. Connections to the Behaviour Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework were identified and explored within each theme. Findings from this study will be integrated within an exploratory sequential mixed methods project to co-create and implement a tailored exercise program for advanced pancreatic cancer care in Canada.