BACKGROUND: A majority of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at advanced stages. Although there is considerable evidence of the benefits of aerobic exercise and Tai-Chi for lung cancer patients, little is known about the comparative effectiveness of the 2 exercise modes in advanced lung cancer patients. OBJECTIVES: To explore the feasibility and preliminary effects of aerobic exercise and Tai-Chi interventions on survival and well-being among advanced lung cancer patients. METHODS: In an assessor-blinded, exploratory randomized controlled trial, 30 advanced lung cancer patients were randomized to an aerobic exercise group, a Tai-Chi group (both attending 12-week, twice-weekly supervised sessions), or a self-management control group (receiving written exercise guidelines). The primary outcomes focused on feasibility including intervention completion, exercise adherence, and adverse events, while the secondary outcomes addressed preliminary effects and included 1-year survival, cancer symptoms (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score, Brief Fatigue Inventory), quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-LC13), physical performance (6-minute walk test, up-and-go, sit-to-stand, 1-leg standing), activity levels (actigraph), and circadian rhythms (salivary cortisol). RESULTS: Intervention feasibility was established with a satisfactory completion rate at post-intervention for the aerobic exercise group (80%) and the Tai-Chi group (78%). The Tai-Chi group attained higher adherence than the exercise group in terms of attendance in supervised sessions (89% versus 75% of scheduled classes) and self-practice (225% versus 87% of the prescribed amount). Higher adherence to self-practice in the Tai-Chi group remained at the 6-month follow-up (81% versus 38% of the prescribed amount). No adverse event as a result of the intervention was reported. Effect-related outcomes did not show statistically significant changes in any group, except an improvement post-intervention in the up-and-go (-2.26, 95% CI -4.04 to -0.48) and sit-to-stand tests (4.52, 95% CI 2.19 to 6.85) in the aerobic exercise group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the feasibility of aerobic exercise and Tai-Chi interventions in advanced lung cancer patients. A future study with a larger sample from multiple sites is recommended to confirm the comparative effects of the 2 exercise interventions relative to the self-management group and to enhance the generalizability of the findings.

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