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. Exercise prevents fatigue and improves quality of life in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

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<.001), fatigue (P=.02), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate (FACT-P) (P=.04), physical well-being (P=.002), social well-being (P=.02), flexibility (P=.006), and leg strength (P=.000). Within the control group, there was a significant increase in fatigue score (P=.004) and a decline in social well-being (P<.05) at post-radiotherapy assessment. Between-group differences at post-radiotherapy assessment were significant in cardiac fitness (P=.006), strength (P=.000), flexibility (P<.01), fatigue (P<.001), FACT-P (P=.006), physical well-being (P<.001), social well-being (P=.002), and functional well-being (P=.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.