Effects of a Clinical Exercise Program on Health-Related Fitness and Quality of Life in Spanish Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To report the feasibility and effectiveness of a newly developed clinical exercise program for improving maximal cardiorespiratory fitness in Spanish cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation. We also examined the effectiveness of the exercise program for improving maximal muscular strength, body composition, fatigue, and quality of life, and explored if the effectiveness varied based on selected patient characteristics. DESIGN: The study was a single group implementation feasibility study using a pre-posttest design. METHODS: Participants performed a 12-week, twice-weekly, supervised, multi-component exercise program during adjuvant therapy. Paired t-tests were used to assess pre-post changes, and analyses of covariance were used to compare effectiveness based on selected patient characteristics. RESULTS: We had 100 cancer patients referred to the clinical exercise program of which 85 (85%) initiated the exercise program and 76 (89%) completed the post-intervention fitness assessment. Exercise significantly improved VO2max by 4.8 mL/kg/minutes (P < .001, d = 0.74). Exercise also significantly improved chest strength (P < .001, d = 0.82), leg strength (P < .001, d = 1.27), lean body mass (P < .001, d = 0.11), skeletal muscle mass (P < .001; d = 0.09), fat mass (P < .001; d = 0.10), % body fat (P < .001; d = 0.17), quality of life (P = .0017; d = 0.41), and fatigue (P = .007; d = 0.46). Treatment modality, cancer type, and age affected some exercise responses, especially related to body composition changes. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week, supervised, multi-component exercise program was effective for improving health-related fitness and quality of life in Spanish cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy. Our results show the benefits of incorporating clinical exercise programming into the supportive care of cancer patients receiving treatments. REGISTRATION: The study protocol is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05078216).

Safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of implementing supervised exercise into the clinical care of individuals with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of implementing supervised exercise programming into the clinical care of individuals with advanced cancer. DESIGN: Single group implementation feasibility study using a pre-posttest design. SETTING: Exercise Oncology Unit of the Spanish Cancer Association (a cancer-specific community facility outside the hospital setting). PARTICIPANTS: Adult individuals with advanced cancer profile involving advanced local cancer or distant metastases. INTERVENTION: A 12-week, twice-weekly, supervised, clinic-based multi-component exercise program. MAIN MEASURE: Paired t-tests were used to assess pre-post changes and analyses of covariance were used to compare effects based on selected participant characteristics. RESULTS: Eighty-four individuals with advanced cancer completed the baseline assessment, with six participants withdrawing prior to the start of the program. Of the 78 participants, 17 dropped out, thus, a total of 61 completed the final assessment. Mean adherence was 82.5%. No serious adverse events occurred. Exercise significantly improved VO2max by 5.2 mL·kg·min (p < 0.001), chest strength (p < 0.001), leg strength (p < 0.001), lean body mass (p = 0.003), skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.002), % body fat (p = 0.02), quality of life by 5.3 points (p = 0.009), fatigue by 3.2 points (p = 0.012), and physical activity by 1680 METs/week (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our clinically supervised and tailored exercise program involving moderate to vigorous intensity exercise was found to be feasible, safe, and effective for individuals with advanced cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: With proper screening and supervision, individuals with advanced cancer can benefit from tailored exercise oncology support as part of an overall therapeutic care plan.

The relevance of experiential avoidance in breast cancer distress: insights from a psychological group intervention.

BACKGROUND: Research on the implication of experiential avoidance in the aetiology and maintenance of diverse forms of psychopathology has grown considerably over the last 10 years. However, the potential contribution of experiential avoidance to cancer-related distress has received limited attention. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to examine the association between experiential avoidance, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and quality of life (QoL) during the course of a psychological group intervention for women with breast cancer. METHODS: Fifty-four women with breast cancer participated in a psychological group intervention designed to reduce distress and improve QoL. Participants completed measures of experiential avoidance, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and QoL upon the first and last sessions. RESULTS: A path analysis revealed that, after controlling for baseline measures, smaller reductions in experiential avoidance during the course of the intervention predicted smaller reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Also, experiential avoidance had a negative indirect effect on QoL via depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Experiential avoidance may perpetuate the emotional problems commonly found in women with breast cancer and attenuate improvements associated with participation in psychological interventions. Implications for clinical practice in psycho-oncology are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.