Differences in Muscle Strength, Balance Function, Quality of Life, and Fatigue Levels between Cancer Survivors and Healthy Subjects: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Objectives We aimed to investigate the differences as well as the relationship between muscle strength, balance function, quality of life (QOL), and fatigue in cancer survivors and healthy subjects. Design A cross-sectional observational study.Setting The Relay For Life Niigata in JapanParticipants Forty-one cancer survivors and 33 healthy subjects were included. Methods Muscle strength was evaluated via handgrip and knee extensor strength. Balance function was evaluated using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and body sway was tested using a force platform. QOL was assessed using the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. Fatigue was measured using the brief fatigue inventory. Results Cancer survivors exhibited significantly decreased muscle strength, higher TUG, lower QOL, and higher fatigue than healthy subjects (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups for any parameters of the body sway tests. There was a relationship between body sway test and QOL (P < 0.05) among cancer survivors. Additionally, some subscales for fatigue and QOL (P < 0.05) were related among cancer survivors; these relationships were stronger than those observed among healthy subjects. Conclusion Cancer survivors have the same balance function as healthy subjects despite a decrease in muscle strength. Cancer survivors initially tend to have decreased muscle strength, and thereafter worse balance function.