Baseline Characteristics of Participants in the Exercise for Cancer to Enhance Living Well (EXCEL) Study: A Canada-Wide Rural-Urban Analysis.

The EXCEL study enrolled 1495 participants with cancer across rural and urban settings in Canada, with the majority being rural participants.

• Total enrollment was 1495 participants (rural n=1085; urban n=400).
• EXCEL is an 8-12-week tailored exercise intervention delivered primarily to individuals living with and beyond cancer (ILWBC) in rural/remote communities, with additional enrollment of urban participants lacking exercise oncology resources.
• Adults with any cancer type or stage were eligible if pre-treatment, receiving treatment, or within 3 years post-treatment.

Age did not differ significantly between rural and urban participants in the EXCEL study.

• Age was analyzed as a baseline characteristic comparing rural versus urban residence.
• The paper states 'Age did not differ significantly between rural and urban participants.'

Rural participants were more often male, had lower educational attainment, and demonstrated higher BMI than urban participants.

• Sex distribution differed by geography, with rural participants more often male.
• Educational attainment was lower among rural participants compared to urban participants.
• BMI was higher among rural participants compared to urban participants.
• These differences were identified through descriptive statistics comparing rural versus urban baseline characteristics.

Urban participants exhibited greater ethnic diversity and higher levels of education compared to rural participants.

• Ethnic diversity was greater among urban participants enrolled in EXCEL.
• Educational levels were higher among urban participants.
• These findings reflect known rural-urban demographic patterns in Canada.

Physical activity levels were similar between rural and urban participants, with approximately 78% of the overall cohort classified as physically active at baseline.

• 78% of participants were classified as physically active at baseline.
• Physical activity levels were described as 'similar' between rural and urban groups.
• Functional capacity levels were also described as comparable across geographic settings.

Rural-urban variations were identified in treatment status, disease burden, education, and lifestyle factors at baseline.

• Baseline characteristics differed 'modestly by geography' across demographic, lifestyle, medical, and fitness factors.
• Differences were noted in treatment status and disease burden between rural and urban participants.
• The analysis used descriptive statistics to compare rural versus urban residence across baseline demographic, lifestyle, medical, and fitness factors.

Evidence on characteristics of who enrolls in exercise oncology programs is described as scarce, leaving gaps for equity-focused recruitment and scale-up.

• The authors identify this as a gap particularly relevant to 'rural and underserved settings.'
• Exercise interventions are noted to 'improve quality of life and survival for individuals living with and beyond cancer (ILWBC), yet equitable access remains limited.'
• The EXCEL study is described as offering 'a unique opportunity to examine these issues across a Canada-wide cohort.'