Effects of supervised aerobic exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and patient-reported health outcomes in colorectal cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy—a pilot study

Abstract

Purpose Colorectal cancer and its treatment are associated with debilitating side effects. Exercise may improve the physical and psychological wellbeing of cancer patients; however, evidence in colorectal cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy is limited. This pilot study aimed to explore the effects of supervised aerobic exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and patient-reported health outcomes in colorectal cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods Patients who had undergone curative resection for colorectal cancer (stages II–III) and were scheduled to receive adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled into this non-randomized controlled trial. Patients in the intervention group (IG) took part in a 6-month supervised aerobic exercise program, while the control group (CG) received usual care. Cardiorespiratory fitness (measured by peak oxygen consumption) was assessed at baseline and 6 months. Fatigue, quality of life, and physical activity levels were additionally assessed at 3 months. Results In total, 59 patients (33 in IG vs. 26 in CG) were enrolled into this study. Eighteen patients (9 in IG vs. 9 in CG) dropped out of the study prior to the 6-month follow-up. Significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (p = .002) and selected patient-reported health outcomes, such as reduced motivation (p = .015) and mental fatigue (p = .018), were observed in the IG when compared to the CG. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effects of a supervised aerobic exercise program in colorectal cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. The significant and clinically meaningful improvements in CRF warrant further randomized controlled trials to confirm these findings. Trials registration German Clinical Trials Register Identifier: DRKS00005793, 11/03/2014, retrospectively registered.

Feasibility of a 12-Month Exercise Intervention in Postsurgical Colorectal Cancer Patients

“…As can be seen from the results, the study participants were relatively active at baseline. However, the cardiorespiratory ftness was relatively low and comparable to other studies involving CRC patients [9,29]. Nevertheless, our study population may represent a high-selective group, which does not necessarily refect the patient strata presenting for treatment.…”

“…It has been shown that adherence to PA recommendations is low in cancer survivors, particularly in CRC [7]. In addition, it is unclear whether an extensive exercise training volume of ≥18 MET * h/week can be maintained over a prolonged period of time in this population, as most previous exercise intervention studies have examined only short intervention periods lasting maximum 6 months [3,8,9].…”

Moderate Intensity Exercise Reduces Side Effects of Cancer Therapy and Maintains Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Male Breast Cancer Patients: Findings from the BRECA Male Crossover Study

“…Therefore, studies with supportive interventions need to be conducted to improve the overall QoL of BMC patients in a sustainable manner [26, 27]. In this context, supervised exercise interventions have been proposed as a viable countermeasure that mitigates many side effects of cancer therapies and improve cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in FBC patients [28], male prostate cancer [29], and colorectal cancer patients [30]. Some authors have even suggested that a higher CRF level and subsequently higher V̇O 2 peak is an independent predictor of overall survival in metastatic breast cancer in women [31].…”