Radiation Oncology/Supportive care/Exercise

Current revision (unreviewed)

Exercise and Raditation Therapy

[edit] Breast cancer

Bangalore, India -- brief supportive therapy vs. yoga
- 2009 PMID 19114222 -- "Anxiolytic effects of a yoga program in early breast cancer patients undergoing conventional treatment: a randomized controlled trial." (Rao MR, Complement Ther Med. 2009 Jan;17(1):1-8. Epub 2008 Oct 14.)
- Randomized. 38 patients, Stage II-III breast cancer, who received surgery, adjuvant RT and adjuvant chemotherapy. Arm 1) routine supportive therapy vs. Arm 2) yoga 60 min daily. Evaluated at baseline, after surgery, before/during/after RT and chemotherapy
  - Outcome: yoga group decreased self-reported anxiety and trait anxiety (SS), positively correlated with symptom severity during RT
  - Conclusion: Yoga can be used for managing treatment-related symptoms and anxiety in BCA patietns

Sungkyunkwan, Seoul -- moderate intensity exercise vs. observation
- Randomized. 40 women after adjuvant RT for breast cancer. Arm 1) supervised moderate-intensity exercise (50 min 3x/week x5 weeks, including stretching, shoulder exercises, and aerobic exercise) vs. Arm 2) observation
- 2008 PMID 18581595 -- "Effects of supervised exercise therapy in patients receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer." (Hwang JH, Yonsei Med J. 2008 Jun 30;49(3):443-50.)
  - Outcome: Exercise group increased QoL, shoulder ROM, decreased fatigue, decreased fatigue. Control group worse than baseline in QoL, shoulder ROM, fatigue, pain
  - Conclusion: Patients receiving RT for breast CA may benefit from supervised moderate-intensity exercise

Alberta (2003-2005) -- usual care vs. resistance exercise vs. aerobic exercise
- Randomized. 242 patients undergoing adjuvant chemo. Arm 1) usual care, vs. Arm 2) supervised resistance exercise vs. Arm 3) supervised aerobic exercise. Adherence 70%
- 2007 PMID 17785708 -- "Effects of aerobic and resistance exercise in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial." (Courneya KS, J Clin Oncol. 2007 Oct 1;25(28):4396-404.)
  - Outcome: Aerobic exercise significantly superior for self-esteem, fitness, and % body fat. Resistance exercise significantly superior for self-esteem, strength, lean body mass, and chemo completion rate. No difference in cancer-specific QoL
  - Conclusion: No difference in either regimen on cancer-specific QoL, but improvement in self-esteem, physical fitness, and body composition

Albert Einstein; 2007 -- yoga vs. observation
- Randomized. 128 patients (42% black, 31% hispanic), ~50% on treatment. Arm 1) 12-week yoga vs. Arm 2) control
- 2007 PMID 17785709 -- "Randomized controlled trial of yoga among a multiethnic sample of breast cancer patients: effects on quality of life." (Moadel AB, J Clin Oncol. 2007 Oct 1;25(28):4387-95.)
  - Outcome: yoga group better social well-being (SS). However, limited adherance, worse with increased fatigue, RT, younger age, and no anti-estrogens
  - Conclusion: Yoga associated with beneficial effects on social functioning

Birmingham, UK -- supervised aerobic exercise vs. exercise-placebo vs. usual care
- Randomized. 108 women treated for BCA 1-3 year previously. Assigned to 1) supervised aerobic exercise vs. 2) exercise-placebo vs. 3) usual care. Exercise 3x/week x 8 weeks
- 2007 PMID 17470863 -- "Randomized trial of exercise therapy in women treated for breast cancer." (Daley AJ, J Clin Oncol. 2007 May 1;25(13):1713-21.)
  - Outcome: Significant benefit in functional outcome and QoL in Arm 1, but not Arm 2 (therefore not result of attention)
  - Conclusion: Exercise had large, clinically meaningful benefit on QoL