Use the Back button in your browser to see the other results of your search or to select another record.

Detailed Search Results

Exercise prevents fatigue and improves quality of life in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy
Monga U, Garber SL, Thornby J, Vallbona C, Kerrigan AJ, Monga TN, Zimmermann KP
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2007 Nov;88(11):1416-1422
clinical trial
4/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: No; Adequate follow-up: No; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

OBJECTIVE: To show fatigue prevention and quality of life (QOL) improvement from cardiovascular exercise during radiotherapy. DESIGN: Prospective enrollment (n = 21), randomized to exercise (n = 11) and control groups (n = 10), with pre- and post-radiotherapy between- and within-group comparisons. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Localized prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. INTERVENTIONS: The interventional group received radiotherapy plus aerobic exercise 3 times a week for 8 weeks whereas the control group received radiotherapy without exercise. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre- and post-radiotherapy differences in cardiac fitness, fatigue, depression, functional status, physical, social, and functional well-being, leg strength, and flexibility were examined within and between 2 groups. RESULTS: No significant differences existed between 2 groups at pre-radiotherapy assessment. At post-radiotherapy assessment, the exercise group showed significant within group improvements in: cardiac fitness (p < 0.001), fatigue (p = 0.02), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P) (p = 0.04), physical well-being (p = 0.002), social well-being (p = 0.02), flexibility (p = 0.006), and leg strength (p = 0.000). Within the control group, there was a significant increase in fatigue score (p = 0.004) and a decline in social well-being (p < 0.05) at post-radiotherapy assessment. Between-group differences at post-radiotherapy assessment were significant in cardiac fitness (p = 0.006), strength (p = 0.000), flexibility (p < 0.01), fatigue (p < 0.001), FACT-P (p = 0.006), physical well-being (p < 0.001), social well-being (p = 0.002), and functional well-being (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: An 8-week cardiovascular exercise program in patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing radiotherapy improved cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, muscle strength, and overall QOL and prevented fatigue.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help