Author of

• 11001

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  P1.24 - Poster Session 1 - Clinical Care (ID 146)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Supportive Care
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/28/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

  • 11012

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    P1.24-011 - Exercise as a strategy for rehabilitation / palliation in Advanced Stage Lung Cancer Patients (ID 948)

    09:30 - 16:30  |  Author(s): M. Quist
    • Abstract

    Background
    Potential beneficial effects of physical exercise for cancer patients remains to be demonstrated for lung cancer patients with advanced disease. Advanced lung cancer is incurable, and is the leading cause of cancer deaths world-wide. The aim of the treatment is to improve QoL and prolong life for these patients; therefore interventions with a focus on VO~2~peak and functional capacity are much needed as physical exercise has shown to have a positive impact on QoL. Kasymjanova et al 2009 has been shown that patients with advanced stage lung cancer significantly lowered their functional capacity after two series of chemotherapy. Moreover, patients with low functional capacity before starting chemotherapy had significantly more disease progression and significantly shorter lifespan, compared to those with a higher functional capacity. Another study from Jones et al 2011 supports this and found that functional capacity is a strong independent predictor of survival in advanced NSCLC that adds to the prediction of survival beyond traditional risk factors, which may improve risk stratification and prognostication in NSCLC. Based on these results this study seeks to examine the effect of a 6-week exercise intervention for advanced lung cancer patients.

    Methods
    Patients with inoperable NSCLC (IIIb-IV) and SCLC (ED) were screened for eligibility. Aerobic capacity (VO~2peak~), muscle strength (1RM), functional capacity (6MWD), lung capacity (FEV1), HRQOL, cancer related symptoms (FACT-L) and anxiety and depression (HADS) were measured at baseline and 6 weeks.

    Results
    One-hundred-two patients were included and 72 patients undergoing concurrent systemic treatment were eligible for analysis. There was a significant increase in aerobic capacity - VO~2peak~ (p=0.014) and functional capacity- 6 MWD (p=0.006). There was significant improvement in strength (P<0.001). There was a significant change in the parameter for ‘emotional wellbeing’ (p=0.000) with a moderate effect size of 0.30 and ‘social well-being’ (p=0.000) with a small effect size of 0.23. However, there was no significant improvement or decline in general QOL. Theere was a significant reduction in anxiety (HADS-A) (p=0.008) a significant change in Psychological Morbidity (HADS-T) (p= 0.023). However, there was no significant change in Depression (HADS-D) (p=0.124).

    Conclusion
    The results from this study shows that it is beneficial for advanced lung cancer patients to participate in a 6 weeks exercise intervention. The significant reduction in anxiety has not been found in other studies with advanced lung cancer patients, further research will show the clinical relevance of these findings.