AEROBIC EXERCISE IN THE REHABILITATION OF CANCER PATIENTS 1578

Abstract

Fatigue and loss of physical performance are common and severe problems of cancer patients. In two studies, we investigated the effects of aerobic training on the physical performance of cancer patients in different stages of disease and treatment. Study 1 included 32 patients with solid tumors and lymphomas undergoing high-dose chemotherapy (HDC). Patients in the training group (T, n=16; age 42±9 years; sex 6 male, 10 female; BMI 25±5) participated in a training program consisting of walking of a treadmill, 30 minutes daily following an interval-training pattern. Training intensity corresponded to a heart rate of 80±5% of calculated maximum(220-age). Training program began immediately after discharge (16±2 days after HDC) and was carried out for 6 weeks. Patients in the control group(C, n=16; age 39±11 years; 5 male 11 female; BMI 24±3) did not train. After 6 weeks, improvement of maximal physical performance (maximal speed by treadmill stress test) was significantly higher (p<0.05) for patients in the training group than for controls (Pre: T=6,2±1,1 km/h; C=6,2±1,3 km/h, NS; post: T=8,3±1,6 km/h, C=7,5±1,3 km/h). Study 2 included 70 cancer patients with solid tumors undergoing HDC. The training group (T, n=33, age 39±10 years, 10 male, 23 female, BMI 25±6) trained with a bed cycle ergometer 30 minutes daily following an interval-training pattern by a heart rate corresponding to 70% of the maximum (220-age); training began the day after concluding chemotherapy and was carried out during hospitalization (approximately 2 weeks). Control patients (C, n=37; age 40±11 years, 10 male, 27 female, BMI 24±4) did not train. Prior to hospital admission and by discharge, maximal physical performance was evaluated with a treadmill stress-test. Loss of physical performance in the training group (T pre: 7,9±1,2 km/h; post:6,8±1,1 km/h) was 27% lower than in the control group (C pre:7,5±1,3 km/h, post:6,0±1,3 km/h). This resulted in a significantly higher physical performance in the training group than in the control group by discharge (p<0.05). Conclusion: Aerobic training is an effective method to reduce loss of physical performance of cancer patients during hospitalization following chemotherapy and to accelerate recovery after discharge.