BackgroundRecent evidence suggests prostate cancer independent of treatment has atrophic effects on whole heart and left ventricular (LV) mass which are associated with reduced endurance exercise capacity. In conjunction, preliminary evidence has shown that moderate exercise training mitigated cardiac mass loss in prostate tumor‐bearing rats. Using a pre‐clinical orthotopic model of prostate cancer, we tested the hypothesis that high intensity training could prevent the associated cardiac atrophy seen in prostate cancer. We also investigated whether high intensity training would attenuate any detriments seen in LV function with prostate cancer.MethodsDunning R‐3327 AT‐1 prostate cancer cells (1×105) were cultured and harvested for injection in 0.1ml of physiological saline solution in the ventral lobe of 5–6‐month‐old male Copenhagen rats (n=24). These animals were randomized into 2 groups, Tumor Bearing Exercise (TBEX, n=15) or Tumor Bearing Sedentary (TBS, n=8). After 5 days of recovery, TBEX animals began exercise on a treadmill at 25m/min with a 15° incline for 45–60 min/day based on tolerance for 18±2 days. Pre‐surgery (Pre), and post exercise training (Post) animals underwent echocardiographic evaluation using the parasternal short axis view to examine ventricle dimensions via a commercially available system (Vivid S6, GE Health Care).ResultsThere were no significant differences in tumor mass between groups (TBEX 3.4±0.7g, TBS 2.9±0.6g p=0.31), or body weights (TBEX 317±5g, TBS 333±7g p=0.20). Heart to body mass ratio was lower in SEDTB group compared to EXTB (2.3±0.1mg/g, 2.5±0.1mg/g, p=0.04). LV to body mass ratio was also lower in the SEDTB group (1.64±0.1mg/g, 1.81±0.1mg/g, p=0.04). There were no significant differences for Pre‐measures of LV function between groups. From Pre‐Post EXTB had significant increases in SV (0.64±0.04ml, 0.76±0.05ml, p=0.03) while SEDTB had no significant difference (0.68±0.03ml, 0.69±0.03ml, p=0.96).ConclusionThis study suggests that high‐intensity exercise can improve LV function and increase LV mass, versus sedentary counterparts, with prostate cancer. Given cardiac dysfunction often manifests with conventional anti‐cancer treatments, a short‐term high‐intensity training program, prior to treatment, may improve patient outcome.Support or Funding InformationAmerican Cancer Society (RSG‐14‐150‐01‐CCE)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.