Fitness outcomes from a randomised controlled trial of exercise training for men with prostate cancer: the ENGAGE study

Abstract

PurposeThe main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week, clinician-referred, community-based exercise training program with supervised and unsupervised sessions for men with prostate cancer. The secondary purpose was to determine whether androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) modified responses to exercise training.MethodsSecondary analysis was undertaken on data from a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial in which 15 clinicians were randomly assigned to refer eligible patients to an exercise training intervention (n = 8) or to provide usual care (n = 7). Data from 119 patients (intervention n = 53, control n = 66) were available for this analysis. Outcome measures included fitness and physical function, anthropometrics, resting heart rate, and blood pressure.ResultsCompared to the control condition, men in the intervention significantly improved their 6-min walk distance (M diff = 49.98 m, p adj = 0.001), leg strength (M diff = 21.82 kg, p adj = 0.001), chest strength (M diff = 6.91 kg, p adj = 0.001), 30-s sit-to-stand result (M diff = 3.38 reps, p adj = 0.001), and reach distance (M diff = 4.8 cm, p adj = 0.024). A significant difference (unadjusted for multiplicity) in favour of men in the intervention was also found for resting heart rate (M diff = −3.76 beats/min, p = 0.034). ADT did not modify responses to exercise training.ConclusionsMen with prostate cancer who act upon clinician referrals to community-based exercise training programs can improve their strength, physical functioning, and, potentially, cardiovascular health, irrespective of whether or not they are treated with ADT.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsClinicians should inform men with prostate cancer about the benefits of exercise and refer them to appropriately qualified exercise practitioners and suitable community-based programs.Trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12610000609055

Home‐based ‘exergaming’ was safe and significantly improved 6‐min walking distance in patients with prostate cancer: a single‐blinded randomised controlled trial

“…However, a recent systematic review by Bohannon et al [21] explored MCID in adults with different pathology and found the MCID distance on the 6MWT to be somewhere between 14.0 and 30.5 m. With this in mind, our 21.5 m might have had a clinical impact on our present patients. On the other hand, when comparing our present results to other studies that have looked at supervised and unsupervised aerobic and/ or resistance exercise [7,11,[22][23][24][25][26], our results appear fairly modest. For example, Gaskin et al [25] found a significant increase of 49.98 m in the intervention group compared to the control group; and in a study by Hojan et al [23], the intervention group increased walking distance while the control group gradually decreased walking distance, leading to an improvement of 27.39 m favouring the intervention group.…”

Adverse effects of androgen deprivation therapy in patients with prostate cancer: focus on metabolic complications

“…Men with prostate cancer could improve their strength, physical functioning, and cardiovascular health by increasing their physical activity. 80,81 Finally, physical exercise significantly improves QoL, although it is not entirely clear whether it affects metabolic risk factors in patients with androgen deprivation therapy-treated prostate cancer.…”

Physical Therapy–Based Exercise Protocol for Cancer Patients: Evaluating Outcomes for Cardiopulmonary Performance and Cancer‐Related Fatigue

“…Many oncology exercise studies have reported on community-based interventions. 24,[26][27][28][29] Brown et al 8 showed that a significant number of patients have impairments that require physical therapy in order to safely exercise in a community setting, 8,30 and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 31 exercise guidelines recommend medical professional intervention prior to community or self-exercise for patients with medical impairments. 31 Although exercise improves function in cancer survivors, some studies have shown that patients involved in exercise programs may develop injuries.…”