title: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of brief, habit-based, lifestyle advice for cancer survivors: exploring behavioural outcomes for the Advancing Survivorship Cancer Outcomes Trial (ASCOT).
abstract: Positive health behaviours such as regular physical activity and a healthy diet have significant effects on cancer outcomes. There is a need for simple but effective behaviour change interventions with the potential to be implemented within the cancer care pathway. Habit-based advice encourages repetition of a behaviour in a consistent context so that the behaviour becomes increasingly automatic in response to a specific contextual cue. This approach therefore encourages long-term behaviour change and can be delivered through printed materials. 'Healthy Habits for Life' is a brief intervention based on habit theory, and incorporating printed materials plus a personally tailored discussion, that has been designed specifically for patients with a diagnosis of cancer. The aim of this trial was to test the effect of 'Healthy Habits for Life' on a composite health behaviour risk index (CHBRI) over 3 months in patients with a diagnosis of breast, colorectal or prostate cancer.
  
  
  
  A 2-arm, individually randomised controlled trial in patients with breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. Patients will be recruited over 18 months from 7 National Health Service Trusts in London and Essex. Following baseline assessments and allocation to intervention or usual care, patients are followed up at 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome will be change in CHBRI at 3 months. Maintenance of any changes over 6 months, and changes in individual health behaviours (including dietary intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking status) will also be explored.
  
  
  
  Ethical approval was obtained through the National Research Ethics Service Committee South Central-Oxford B via the Integrated Research Application System (reference number 14/SC/1369). Results of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations.
  
  
  
  17421871.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Beeken
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Croker
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: The Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hackshaw
authors.affiliation: Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.affiliation: Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Machesney
authors.affiliation: Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Westcliff-on-Sea, UK.
authors.forename: Madhavan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krishnaswamy
authors.affiliation: London Cancer, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.affiliation: UCLH Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roylance
authors.affiliation: UCLH Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: London Cancer, London, UK.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pritchard-Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D057566:Self Report; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: BEHAVIOUR CHANGE; CANCER; HABITS; INTERVENTION; SURVIVOR