OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of resistance and cardiovascular exercise on functional mobility in individuals with advanced cancer. DESIGN: Prospective, two-group pretest-posttest pilot study with randomization to either resistance or cardiovascular exercise mode. SETTING: Comprehensive community cancer center and a hospital-based fitness facility PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of 66 individuals (30 males, 36 females, mean age 62 years) with advanced cancer recruited through the cancer center, palliative care service, rehabilitation department, and a local hospice. INTERVENTIONS: Ten weeks of individualized resistance or cardiovascular exercise, prescribed and monitored by oncology-trained exercise personnel. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional mobility was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); self-reported pain and fatigue were assessed secondarily using visual analog scales. Data were analyzed using a split plot 2x2 ANOVA (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (78.8%) completed the study, 23/34 (67.7%) in the resistance arm and 29/32 (90.6%) in the cardiovascular arm. No participant withdrew due to study adverse events. Ten-week outcomes (n = 52) included a significant increase in SPPB total score (p < 0.001), increase in gait speed (p = 0.001), and reduction in fatigue (p = 0.05). Although cardiovascular exercise participants had a modestly greater improvement in SPPB total score than resistance training participants (F[1,49] = 4.21, p = 0.045), the difference was not confirmed in a subsequent intention-to-treat analysis (n = 66). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with advanced cancer appear to benefit from exercise for improving functional mobility. Neither resistance nor cardiovascular exercise appeared to have a strong differential effect on outcome.

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