Exercise capacity and quality of life in cancer survivors after completion of a survivorship focused exercise program.

Abstract

169 Background: Exercise is a key component in addressing the concerns of cancer survivors. Only a third of survivors meet physical activity recommendations, and 70% of survivors are overweight/obese. For survivors, inactivity and obesity increase risks of recurrence, development of a second primary cancer, and higher mortality overall. Benefits of exercise include weight loss and improved quality of life. Survivorcise, a 12 week exercise program for survivors, was developed with the goal of improving exercise capacity and quality of life. Methods: Survivorcise is a small group exercise program meeting for 60 minutes, twice a week, for 12 weeks. Pre and post testing of strength, balance, and aerobic capacity and pre and post quality of life surveys were completed. Results: Forty-four participants completed Survivorcise between 2015 and 2017. Paired t-test analysis of pre and post testing revealed significant improvements in upper body strength (p = 0.0001), lower body strength (p = 0.0001), and balance (p = 0.0071). Aerobic capacity (p = 0.1583) improved, but not significantly. Paired t-test analysis of pre and post quality of life surveys revealed significant improvements in patient perception of strength (p = 0.0001), stress (p = 0.0002), weight gain (p = 0.0002), adjusting to the new normal (p = 0.0031), depression (p = 0.0034), fatigue (p = 0.0089), change in mood/behavior (p = 0.0094), pain (p = 0.0118), and lymphedema (p = 0.0290). Patient perception of memory (p = 0.1002), balance, walking, and mobility (p = 0.1104), sleep disturbance (p = 0.1361), neuropathy (p = 0.1455), anxiety (p = 0.1537), nausea/vomiting (p = 0.1597), hot flashes (p = 0.2247), poor appetite (p = 0.4560), osteoporosis (p = 0.5748), falls, tripping, and stumbling (p = 0.6574), and weight loss (p = 0.7890) showed no significant change. Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that Survivorcise is an effective tool for cancer survivors. The program significantly improved upper and lower body strength and balance. Participants self-reported significant improvement in perceived strength, stress, weight gain, adjusting to new normal, depression, fatigue, change in mood and behavior, pain, and lymphedema.