Physical Activity and Lung Cancer Survivorship

Abstract

A lung cancer diagnosis and associated therapeutic management is associated with unique and varying degrees of adverse physical/functional impairments that dramatically reduce a patient's ability to tolerate exercise. Poor exercise tolerance predisposes to increased susceptibility to other common age-related diseases, poor quality of life (QOL), and likely premature death. Here we review the putative literature investigating the role of exercise as an adjunct therapy across the lung cancer continuum (i.e., diagnosis to palliation). The current evidence suggests that exercise training is a safe and feasible adjunct therapy for operable lung cancer patients both before and after pulmonary resection. Among patients with inoperable disease, feasibility and safety studies of carefully prescribed exercise training are warranted. Preliminary evidence in this area supports that exercise therapy may be an important consideration in multidisciplinary management of patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Health Behaviors, Readiness to Change, and Interest in Health Promotion Programs Among Smokers With Lung Cancer and Their Family Members

“…Two recent systematic reviews examined the role of exercise in the care of patients with lung cancer across the illness trajectory and the results were promising for the use of exercise as an adjunct treatment among patients with both early and advanced stages of illness 68,69 . One study examined the use of exercise in combination with relaxation for patients with advanced lung cancer using a hospital based supervised group exercise along with a concurrent home based exercise program 70 .…”

Effects of systematic rehabilitation programs on quality of life in patients undergoing lung resection

“…Therefore, provision of the appropriate treatment and care programs for controlling the disease and improving the patient QOL remains a fundamental issue. A multidimensional therapeutic approach is recommended including pulmonary rehabilitation (6,7) and an adequate level of physical activity (8,9) in order to improve exercise tolerance, health-related QOL as well as surgical candidacy and to decrease surgical morbidity. Recent studies have shown that physical activity may have important benefits on lung cancer patients and survivors (10)(11)(12), regardless of the disease stage (13) or limited physical activity (14,15).…”

Physical activity preferences of early-stage lung cancer survivors

“…Engagement in physical activity, both during treatment and in survivorship, can confer important benefits, including enhanced quality of life and physical function and reduced symptom burden [2–6]. Despite this empirical evidence, and growing awareness amongst health professionals, many cancer survivors do not engage in recommended levels of physical activity [1].…”