A pilot study using pre-treatment physical activity level to predict long-term health-related quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pre-treatment levels of physical activity (PA) in head and neck cancer (HNC) are rarely evaluated using accelerometry. This study aimed to investigate whether pre-treatment PA level in HNC predicts aspects of long-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) at 12 months after end of treatment. METHODS: This pilot study included 48 patients diagnosed with HNC, 41 participants remaining at 12 months post-treatment. Pre-treatment PA was objectively assessed by an accelerometer. Self-perceived PA and HRQL were assessed pre-treatment and at 6- and 12-months post-treatment. RESULTS: Patients with a higher pre-treatment PA level scored higher on physical function and role function and less fatigue and pain at the 12 months follow-up compared to patients with a lower pre-treatment PA. At 6 months the groups differed only on physical functioning. When comparing changes over time, there were statistically significant differences comparing high and low pre-treatment PA in the fatigue and pain domains between 6 and 12 months. Exploratory multiple regression analyses also indicated that higher pre-treatment PA levels were associated with greater favorable change in the four HRQL measures. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of PA assessed with accelerometer before oncologic treatment associated favorably with aspects of self-perceived HRQL and PA over time in patients with HNC.

Low physical activity in patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: This pilot study aimed to describe physical activity (PA) and self-perceived function, health and quality of life (QoL) prior to oncological treatment in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS: In a prospective study including 49 patients, self-perceived PA (Saltin-Grimby scale) and health-related QoL (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire Core 30 and EQ-5D) were assessed. Further, PA was also measured by an accelerometer attached to the thigh for eight consecutive days. The accelerometer PA was compared to the PA of a reference population assessed with the same method. Results presented are from data collected before start of oncological treatment. RESULTS: The patients (44-79 years, 65% males) spent most of their time in sedentary behavior: a median of 555 minutes/day in bed (39% of total) and 606 minutes/day sitting (41%). Only 129 minutes/day were spent moving/walking. Patients with higher education, reduced physical function and higher fatigue were less physically active (P ≤ .01). Further, the different PA measures demonstrated a pattern of being less physically active compared to the reference population. CONCLUSIONS: Patients diagnosed for HNC may have low PA level. Assessment of PA from accelerometer data may be an important component of oncological treatment to identify patients in need for PA intervention that may enhance treatment outcome.