Effects of Aerobic Exercise on the Physical Performance and Incidence of Treatment-Related Complications After High-Dose Chemotherapy

Abstract

Loss of physical performance is a universal problem of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. We postulated that this impairment can be partially prevented by aerobic exercise. In a randomized study, 33 cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (training group, T) performed an exercise program consisting of biking on an ergometer in the supine position after an interval-training pattern for 30 minutes daily during hospitalization. Patients in the control group (C, n = 37) did not train. Maximal physical performance was assessed with a treadmill test by admission and discharge. Physical performance of the two groups was not different on admission. The decrement in performance during hospitalization was 27% greater in the control group than in the training group (P = .05); this resulted in a significantly higher maximal physical performance at discharge in the trained patients (P = .04). Duration of neutropenia (P = .01) and thrombopenia (P = .06), severity of diarrhea (P = .04), severity of pain (P = .01), and duration of hospitalization (P = .03) were reduced in the training group. We conclude that aerobic exercise can be safely carried out immediately after high-dose chemotherapy and can partially prevent loss of physical performance. Based on the potential significance of the observed outcomes, further studies are warranted to confirm our results.

Daily fatigue patterns and effect of exercise in women with breast cancer.

“…While this finding was observed in a few of the nonexercisers, the fatigue patterns of nonexercisers generally showed less decline in fatigue over time. The declining fatigue pattern in exercisers supports previous studies that have suggested that exercise may be an effective intervention for fatigue [23][24][25][26][27][28][29] and that increased fatigue and decreased activity may further predispose a patient to extreme fatigue. 40 Cognitive organization and symptom appraisal are aspects of symptom perception and management that may help patients interpret and assess their fatigue severity.…”

“…Exercise plays a significant role in the prevention of disease and in the rehabilitation and control of disease progression in many populations of chronically ill patients [19][20][21][22] and is an intervention that is suggested to minimize fatigue in cancer patients. [23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Exercise interventions for persons with diseases associated with inactivity may retard debilitation, weakness, fatigue, and declines in functional ability and quality of life. As treatment and survival rates improve, developing interventions to control fatigue during cancer treatment becomes increasingly important.…”

A series of bed exercises to improve lymphocyte count in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation patients

“…1997b), duration of neutropoenia and thrombocytopenia (Dimeo et al . 1997a), severity of diarrhea and pain (Dimeo et al . 1997a), duration of hospitalization (Dimeo et al .…”

“…1997a), severity of diarrhea and pain (Dimeo et al . 1997a), duration of hospitalization (Dimeo et al . 1997a) and quality of life (Courneya et al .…”

“…2000). However, some physicians fear that vigorous exertion may be harmful for cancer patients (Dimeo et al . 1997a).…”