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A Multimodal Lifestyle Psychosocial Survivorship Program in Young Cancer Survivors: The CARE for CAYA Program-A Randomized Clinical Trial Embedded in a Longitudinal Cohort Study.
von Grundherr, J, Elmers, S, Koch, B, Hail, LA, Mann, J, Escherich, G, Bergelt, C, Samland, L, Jensen, W, Vettorazzi, E, et al
JAMA network open. 2024;(3):e242375
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Abstract
IMPORTANCE There is a lack of trials examining the effect of counseling interventions for child, adolescent, and younger adult (CAYA) cancer survivors. OBJECTIVE To assess lifestyle habits and the psychosocial situation of CAYAs to determine the efficacy of needs-based interventions in the CARE for CAYA program (CFC-P). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The CFC-P was conducted as a multicenter program in 14 German outpatient clinics, mainly university cancer centers. Recruitment began January 1, 2018; a randomized clinical trial was conducted until July 15, 2019; and intervention was continued as a longitudinal cohort study until March 31, 2021. Data preparation was conducted from April 1, 2021, and analysis was conducted from August 14, 2021, to May 31, 2022. Herein, predefined confirmatory analyses pertain to the RCT and descriptive results relate to the overall longitudinal study. Data analysis was based on the full analysis set, which is as close as possible to the intention-to-treat principle. INTERVENTION A comprehensive assessment determined needs in physical activity, nutrition and psychooncology. Those with high needs participated in 1 to 3 modules. In the RCT, the IG received 5 counseling sessions plus newsletters, while the control group CG received 1 counseling session. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was the change in the rate of CAYAs with high needs at 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes were feasibility, modular-specific end points, satisfaction, quality of life, and fatigue. RESULTS Of 1502 approached CAYAs aged 15 to 39 years, 692 declined participation. Another 22 CAYAs were excluded, resulting in 788 participants. In the randomized clinical trial, 359 CAYAs were randomized (intervention group [IG], n = 183; control group [CG], n = 176), and 274 were followed up. In the RCT, the median age was 25.0 (IQR, 19.9-32.2) years; 226 were female (63.0%) and 133 male (37.0%). After 52 weeks, 120 CAYAs (87.0%) in the IG and 115 (86.5%) in the CG still had a high need in at least 1 module (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.51-2.11; P = .91). Both groups reported reduced needs, improved quality of life, reduced fatigue, and high satisfaction with the CFC-P. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this randomized clinical trial, the implementation of a lifestyle program in this cohort was deemed necessary, despite not meeting the primary outcome. The interventions did not alter the rate of high needs. The results may provide guidance for the development of multimodal interventions in the follow-up care of CAYAs. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00012504.
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Exercise interventions for adults with cancer receiving radiation therapy alone.
Trommer, M, Marnitz, S, Skoetz, N, Rupp, R, Niels, T, Morgenthaler, J, Theurich, S, von Bergwelt-Baildon, M, Baues, C, Baumann, FT
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2023;(3):CD013448
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiation therapy (RT) is given to about half of all people with cancer. RT alone is used to treat various cancers at different stages. Although it is a local treatment, systemic symptoms may occur. Cancer- or treatment-related side effects can lead to a reduction in physical activity, physical performance, and quality of life (QoL). The literature suggests that physical exercise can reduce the risk of various side effects of cancer and cancer treatments, cancer-specific mortality, recurrence of cancer, and all-cause mortality. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms of exercise plus standard care compared with standard care alone in adults with cancer receiving RT alone. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL, conference proceedings and trial registries up to 26 October 2022. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that enrolled people who were receiving RT without adjuvant systemic treatment for any type or stage of cancer. We considered any type of exercise intervention, defined as a planned, structured, repetitive, objective-oriented physical activity programme in addition to standard care. We excluded exercise interventions that involved physiotherapy alone, relaxation programmes, and multimodal approaches that combined exercise with other non-standard interventions such as nutritional restriction. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard Cochrane methodology and the GRADE approach for assessing the certainty of the evidence. Our primary outcome was fatigue and the secondary outcomes were QoL, physical performance, psychosocial effects, overall survival, return to work, anthropometric measurements, and adverse events. MAIN RESULTS Database searching identified 5875 records, of which 430 were duplicates. We excluded 5324 records and the remaining 121 references were assessed for eligibility. We included three two-arm RCTs with 130 participants. Cancer types were breast and prostate cancer. Both treatment groups received the same standard care, but the exercise groups also participated in supervised exercise programmes several times per week while undergoing RT. Exercise interventions included warm-up, treadmill walking (in addition to cycling and stretching and strengthening exercises in one study), and cool-down. In some analysed endpoints (fatigue, physical performance, QoL), there were baseline differences between exercise and control groups. We were unable to pool the results of the different studies owing to substantial clinical heterogeneity. All three studies measured fatigue. Our analyses, presented below, showed that exercise may reduce fatigue (positive SMD values signify less fatigue; low certainty). • Standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.27 to 1.64; 37 participants (fatigue measured with Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)) • SMD 2.42, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.13; 54 participants (fatigue measured with BFI) • SMD 1.44, 95% CI 0.46 to 2.42; 21 participants (fatigue measured with revised Piper Fatigue Scale) All three studies measured QoL, although one provided insufficient data for analysis. Our analyses, presented below, showed that exercise may have little or no effect on QoL (positive SMD values signify better QoL; low certainty). • SMD 0.40, 95% CI -0.26 to 1.05; 37 participants (QoL measured with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate) • SMD 0.47, 95% CI -0.40 to 1.34; 21 participants (QoL measured with World Health Organization QoL questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF)) All three studies measured physical performance. Our analyses of two studies, presented below, showed that exercise may improve physical performance, but we are very unsure about the results (positive SMD values signify better physical performance; very low certainty) • SMD 1.25, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.97; 37 participants (shoulder mobility and pain measured on a visual analogue scale) • SMD 3.13 (95% CI 2.32 to 3.95; 54 participants (physical performance measured with the six-minute walk test) Our analyses of data from the third study showed that exercise may have little or no effect on physical performance measured with the stand-and-sit test, but we are very unsure about the results (SMD 0.00, 95% CI -0.86 to 0.86, positive SMD values signify better physical performance; 21 participants; very low certainty). Two studies measured psychosocial effects. Our analyses (presented below) showed that exercise may have little or no effect on psychosocial effects, but we are very unsure about the results (positive SMD values signify better psychosocial well-being; very low certainty). • SMD 0.48, 95% CI -0.18 to 1.13; 37 participants (psychosocial effects measured on the WHOQOL-BREF social subscale) • SMD 0.29, 95% CI -0.57 to 1.15; 21 participants (psychosocial effects measured with the Beck Depression Inventory) Two studies recorded adverse events related to the exercise programmes and reported no events. We estimated the certainty of the evidence as very low. No studies reported adverse events unrelated to exercise. No studies reported the other outcomes we intended to analyse (overall survival, anthropometric measurements, return to work). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is little evidence on the effects of exercise interventions in people with cancer who are receiving RT alone. While all included studies reported benefits for the exercise intervention groups in all assessed outcomes, our analyses did not consistently support this evidence. There was low-certainty evidence that exercise improved fatigue in all three studies. Regarding physical performance, our analysis showed very low-certainty evidence of a difference favouring exercise in two studies, and very low-certainty evidence of no difference in one study. We found very low-certainty evidence of little or no difference between the effects of exercise and no exercise on quality of life or psychosocial effects. We downgraded the certainty of the evidence for possible outcome reporting bias, imprecision due to small sample sizes in a small number of studies, and indirectness of outcomes. In summary, exercise may have some beneficial outcomes in people with cancer who are receiving RT alone, but the evidence supporting this statement is of low certainty. There is a need for high-quality research on this topic.
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Supervised pelvic floor muscle exercise is more effective than unsupervised pelvic floor muscle exercise at improving urinary incontinence in prostate cancer patients following radical prostatectomy - a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Baumann, FT, Reimer, N, Gockeln, T, Reike, A, Hallek, M, Ricci, C, Zopf, EM, Schmid, D, Taaffe, D, Newton, RU, et al
Disability and rehabilitation. 2022;(19):5374-5385
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urinary incontinence is one of the most clinically relevant side effects in the treatment of prostate cancer patients. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the specific exercise effects of supervised versus unsupervised pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) and exercise volume on urinary incontinence status after radical prostatectomy. METHODS A systematic data search was performed for studies published from January 2000 to December 2020 using the following databases: PubMed, Embase, SciSearch, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Database of Abstracts of Reviews and Effects. The review was undertaken according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A random-effects meta-analysis of urinary incontinence remission was performed. The relation between time since surgery and urinary incontinence remission was analyzed using a non-linear dose-response meta-analysis. RESULTS The meta-analysis included 20 randomized controlled trials involving 2188 men (n = 1105 in intervention groups; n = 1083 in control groups). PFME versus no PFME had a beneficial effect on urinary incontinence remission at 3 months, 3-6 months, and more than 6 months post-surgery, with risk differences ranging from 12 to 25%. These effects were particularly evident for higher volume, supervised PFME in the first 6 months post-surgery. Additional biofeedback therapy appeared to be beneficial but only during the first 3 months post-surgery. CONCLUSIONS There is good evidence that the supervised PFME causes a decrease in short-term urinary incontinence rates. Unsupervised PFME has similar effects as no PFME in postoperative urinary incontinence. PFME programs should be implemented as an early rehabilitative measure to improve postoperative short-term urinary incontinence in patients with prostate cancer.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONProstate cancer, surgery, and urinary incontinenceThe surgical treatment of prostate cancer often leads to urinary incontinence.Pelvic floor training leads to a significant improvement of this situation.Exercise therapy support is very important in this context and is even more effective than unsupported training.
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[Physical activity in cancer - effectiveness of exercise therapy approaches].
Siebert, S, Kersten, J, Theurich, S, Baumann, FT
Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946). 2022;(13):831-840
Abstract
The positive effects of oncological exercise therapy are sufficiently proven according to scientific studies. International evidence-based guidelines confirm this importance and recommend physical exercise as part of the standard therapy for cancer. The effects of physical activity on cancer-specific deficits are versatile ranging from positive impact on fatigue syndrome, mortality, incontinence, lymphoedema, CIPN, anxiety, depression to reduction of pain. According to current knowledge, sensorimotor training is recommended for the treatment of polyneuropathy. The actual effectiveness of vibration training in reducing symptom burden is undetermined. There are more than 100 randomized, controlled studies with the highest evidence rating for the management of CrF available. In this regard, exercise therapy is more effective than drug therapy in alleviating the symptomatology of CrF. In addition to the movement-therapeutic approach, a coordinated diet is necessary to avoid nutrition shortages.The evidence on physical activity in oncology must be considered not only in theory, but also in practice and be accepted as a general recommendation for oncology patients. The personalized OTT treatment concept represents a practical implementation and offers a targeted treatment option with low side effects.
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Effects of physical exercise on breast cancer-related secondary lymphedema: a systematic review.
Baumann, FT, Reike, A, Reimer, V, Schumann, M, Hallek, M, Taaffe, DR, Newton, RU, Galvao, DA
Breast cancer research and treatment. 2018;(1):1-13
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effect of different types of exercise on breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) in order to elucidate the role of exercise in this patient group. METHODS A systematic data search was performed using PubMed (December 2016). The review is focused on the rehabilitative aspect of BCRL and undertaken according to the PRISMA statement with Levels of Evidence (LoE) assessed. RESULTS 11 randomized controlled trials (9 with LoE 1a and 2 with LoE 1b) that included 458 women with breast cancer in aftercare were included. The different types of exercise consisted of aqua lymph training, swimming, resistance exercise, yoga, aerobic, and gravity-resistive exercise. Four of the studies measured a significant reduction in BCRL status based on arm volume and seven studies reported significant subjective improvements. No study showed adverse effects of exercise on BCRL. CONCLUSION The evidence indicates that exercise can improve subjective and objective parameters in BCRL patients, with dynamic, moderate, and high-frequency exercise appearing to provide the most positive effects.
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Exercise Preserves Physical Function in Prostate Cancer Patients with Bone Metastases.
Galvão, DA, Taaffe, DR, Spry, N, Cormie, P, Joseph, D, Chambers, SK, Chee, R, Peddle-McIntyre, CJ, Hart, NH, Baumann, FT, et al
Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2018;50(3):393-399
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Plain language summary
Existing research indicates cancer patients with bone metastases should not participate in exercise due to potential risks to the skeletal system. However, current oncology guidelines suggest that all cancer patients should avoid inactivity, including those with bone metastases. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of exercise among 57 prostate cancer patients with bone metastases. Participants were randomised to either participate in exercise or receive usual care for three months. Exercise consisted of supervised aerobic activity, resistance training and stretching three days a week. Overall health status and physical function was measured by self-reported questionnaire. This study found self-reported physical functioning and lower muscle strength was improved significantly in the exercise group. There were no difference in bone pain between groups, and no adverse events occurred. Based on these results, the authors conclude exercise is safe and can help improve physical functioning among prostate cancer patients with bone metastasis.
Abstract
PURPOSE The presence of bone metastases has excluded participation of cancer patients in exercise interventions and is a relative contraindication to supervised exercise in the community setting because of concerns of fragility fracture. We examined the efficacy and safety of a modular multimodal exercise program in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases. METHODS Between 2012 and 2015, 57 prostate cancer patients (70.0 ± 8.4 yr; body mass index, 28.7 ± 4.0 kg·m) with bone metastases (pelvis, 75.4%; femur, 40.4%; rib/thoracic spine, 66.7%; lumbar spine, 43.9%; humerus, 24.6%; other sites, 70.2%) were randomized to multimodal supervised aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises undertaken thrice weekly (EX; n = 28) or usual care (CON; n = 29) for 3 months. Physical function subscale of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 was the primary end point as an indicator of patient-rated physical functioning. Secondary end points included objective measures of physical function, lower body muscle strength, body composition, and fatigue. Safety was assessed by recording the incidence and severity of any adverse events, skeletal complications, and bone pain throughout the intervention. RESULTS There was a significant difference between groups for self-reported physical functioning (3.2 points; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-6.0 points; P = 0.028) and lower body muscle strength (6.6 kg; 95% confidence interval, 0.6-12.7; P = 0.033) at 3 months favoring EX. However, there was no difference between groups for lean mass (P = 0.584), fat mass (P = 0.598), or fatigue (P = 0.964). There were no exercise-related adverse events or skeletal fractures and no differences in bone pain between EX and CON (P = 0.507). CONCLUSIONS Multimodal modular exercise in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases led to self-reported improvements in physical function and objectively measured lower body muscle strength with no skeletal complications or increased bone pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION ACTRN12611001158954.