Physical activity is associated with exercise capacity among patients undergoing chemotherapy: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Exercise intolerance is common among cancer patients undergoing active treatments. We conducted a pilot study in patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic therapies to investigate the impact of participation in a 6-month physical activity intervention (PAI) versus a healthy lifestyle education control intervention (HLI) on accelerometer-derived measures of PA (steps/day or minutes of moderate to vigorous PA [MVPA]/week) and whether these measures were associated with submaximal exercise capacity (6-minute walk distance [6MWD]). METHODS: Participants with breast cancer or lymphoma (n = 33) were randomized (2:1) into PAI or HLI groups. Exercise training was patient-centered, tailored by treatment and functional status. Objective assessments of PA (steps/day, MVPA/week), and submaximal exercise capacity (6MWD) were completed at baseline, 3-, and 6-months. Descriptive statistics were used to examine changes in PA and 6MWD. T-tests were used to examine differences in 6MWD between groups at 3- and 6-months. RESULTS: At baseline, 27 participants in the PAI (n = 20) and HLI (n = 7) groups who completed baseline and at least 1 follow up visit, had a mean age of 53 (range: 23-76) vs 56 (range: 40-77) years, took on average 8,330 ± 2520 vs 7800 ± 3830 steps/day, did an average of 133 ± 44 vs 109 ± 87 minutes of MVPA/week, and had a mean 6MWD of 496 ± 94 vs 440 ± 18 meters, respectively. At 3- and 6-months there was a 87m and 76m difference in 6MWD by intervention group. A correlation analysis did find significant associations between steps/day (r = 0.51, p = .04) and 6MWD at 3-months. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline data indicate that, on average, our study sample was close to meeting the PA guidelines. Unexpectedly, both groups maintained their activity levels up to 3- and 6-months. Submaximal exercise capacity (6MWD) was also maintained (with a clinically meaningful but not statistically significant relative benefit in the PAI) suggesting higher PA levels may associate with reduced exercise intolerance after anthracycline therapy.
Source: PLoS ONE
Language: English
Topic: Cancer survivorship and care
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,382
Funders: American Cancer Society, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, American Heart Association, Research to Prevent Blindness, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Varian Medical Systems, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province, Gigtforeningen, Jeanssons Stiftelser, Wellcome Trust, Neuroscience Research Australia, Abraham J. and Phyllis Katz Foundation, UK Research and Innovation, Medtronic Europe, Royal Society, European Commission, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Danmarks Grundforskningsfond, University of New South Wales, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Austrian Science Fund, Sungkyunkwan University, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Crafoordska Stiftelsen, Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions, Uppsala Universitet, Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, SENSHIN Medical Research Foundation, Bu-Ali Sina University, Novo Nordisk Fonden, Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Army, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, European Regional Development Fund, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province, National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Fogarty International Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Basic Energy Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, U.S. Military Academy, JST-Mirai Program, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, NextGenerationEU, Intramural Research Program
Awards: G5144635529, G8830335464
OpenAlex ID: W4414606387