REHABILITATION AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND FATIGUE IN PATIENTS WITH LUNG CANCER - EFFECTS OF EXERCISE
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with symptoms like dyspnea, chronic cough, fatigue, and weight loss signifcantly affecting patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Recent research highlights the critical role of rehabilitation, particularly exercis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Edisciences
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Cancer Rehabilitation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.edisciences.org/vol-7-issue-4-special-issue-jcr-ottobre-24-rehabilitation-lung-cancer |
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| Summary: | Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with symptoms
like dyspnea, chronic cough, fatigue, and weight loss signifcantly affecting patients'
health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Recent research highlights the critical role
of rehabilitation, particularly exercise, in improving both physical and psychological
outcomes in lung cancer patients. Exercise interventions not only enhance physical
ftness but also help manage fatigue, improve muscle strength, and promote
psychological well-being. However, many lung cancer patients misinterpret exercise-
induced symptoms, such as breathlessness, as signs of disease progression, which leads
to fear of physical activity and further deconditioning.
The EXHALE program, initiated in Denmark in 2008, aimed to address these
challenges by providing structured exercise sessions for patients with advanced-
stage lung cancer. This 12-week program included aerobic and resistance training,
which resulted in signifcant improvements in muscle strength, reduced anxiety and
depression, and maintained social well-being compared to a control group. Despite a
low adherence rate of 44%, the study demonstrated the positive effects of supervised
exercise on patients’ mental and physical health.
Similarly, the PROLUCA study, the largest of its kind, investigated early versus
late postoperative rehabilitation in patients with lung cancer. While no signifcant
differences in aerobic capacity(VO2peak) were observed between the groups, both
demonstrated improvements in physical function and emotional well-being. Notably,
early rehabilitation led to a smaller initial decline in VO2peak and continuous
improvements in HRQoL up to 26 weeks post-surgery, supporting early intervention
to alleviate lung cancer-related symptoms and fatigue.
These fndings underscore the importance of integrating exercise into lung cancer care,
particularly soon after surgery. Future research should focus on optimizing exercise
protocols and supporting healthcare professionals in guiding patients to overcome
barriers to physical activity, ultimately improving overall HRQoL in this patient
population. |
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| ISSN: | 2704-6494 |