Exercise prehabilitation program for patients under neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer: A pilot study

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and therapeutics Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 20 - 25
• Main Authors: Alejo, Lidia, Pagola-Aldazabal, Itziar, Fiuza-Luces, Carmen, Huerga, Daniel, de Torres, María, Verdugo, Ana, Ortega Solano, María, Felipe, José, Lucia, Alejandro, Ruiz-Casado, Ana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.01.2019; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Adjuvant chemotherapy; Aged; Anxiety; Body mass index; Cancer patients; Cancer research; Cancer treatment; Care and treatment; Chemoradiotherapy - adverse effects; Chemoradiotherapy - methods; Colorectal cancer; Exercise; Exercise Therapy - methods; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Male; Medical research; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Neoadjuvant Therapy - adverse effects; Neoadjuvant Therapy - methods; Patient Compliance; Physical fitness; Pilot Projects; Preoperative Care - methods; Quality of Life; Rectal Neoplasms - therapy; Substance abuse treatment; Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Women; Oncology; physical activity; surgery
• ISSN: 0973-1482; 1998-4138; 1998-4138
• DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_30_17

Context: Prehabilitation is emerging as a method of preparing patients physically and mentally for the often disabling effects of cancer treatment. Aims: This study aims to assess the feasibility and to explore the potential effects of a prehabilitation program consisting of educational physical exercise sessions in patients with rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy treatment (NCRT). Settings and Design: This was a pilot study with 12 patients (3 males and 9 females, age 61 ± 7 years). Subjects and Methods: The program included six educational sessions of exercise during NCRT. Adherence to the intervention; quality of life (QoL); anxiety and depression; body mass index; physical fitness (peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), handgrip and dynamic leg strength); and physical activity (PA) levels were measured. Statistical Analysis Used: Data are reported as the mean ± standard deviation or medians and interquartile ranges for questionnaire-derived data. Secondary outcome measures were compared using the nonparametric Wilcoxon test. The threshold P value for significance was calculated after correction for multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni method. Results: Adherence to the program was 64 of 72 possible exercise education sessions completed, i.e., 89%. We detected a trend toward a significant improvement in VO2peak after the intervention (P = 0.015), together with reduced scores for both depression (P = 0.017) and the QoL domain "emotional function" (P = 0.027). Mean levels of moderate to vigorous PA tended to increase after the exercise program (P = 0.091). Conclusions: Exercise might be an effective prehabilitation strategy for surgery during the period of NCRT.