title: Safety, feasibility and effects of an individualised walking intervention for women undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exercise interventions during adjuvant cancer therapy have been shown to increase functional capacity, relieve fatigue and distress and may assist rates of chemotherapy completion. These studies have been limited to breast, gastric and mixed cancer groups and it is not yet known if a similar intervention is even feasible among women with ovarian cancer. We aimed to assess safety, feasibility and potential effect of a walking intervention in women undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer were recruited to participate in an individualised walking intervention throughout chemotherapy and were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Feasibility measures included session adherence, compliance with exercise physiologist prescribed walking targets and self-reported program acceptability. Changes in objective physical functioning (6-minute walk test), self-reported distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), symptoms (Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale - Physical) and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Ovarian) were calculated, and chemotherapy completion and adverse intervention effects recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen women were enrolled (63% recruitment rate). Mean age was 60 years (SD = 8 years), 88% were diagnosed with FIGO stage III or IV disease, 14 women underwent adjuvant and three neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. On average, women adhered to > 80% of their intervention sessions and complied with 76% of their walking targets, with the majority walking four days a week at moderate intensity for 30 minutes per session. Meaningful improvements were found in physical functioning, physical symptoms, physical well-being and ovarian cancer-specific quality of life. Most women (76%) completed ≥85% of their planned chemotherapy dose. There were no withdrawals or serious adverse events and all women reported the program as being helpful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These positive preliminary results suggest that this walking intervention for women receiving chemotherapy for ovarian cancer is safe, feasible and acceptable and could be used in development of future work.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ACTRN12609000252213.
authors: School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. mj.newton@qut.edu.au
authors: Melissa J
authors: MJ
authors: Newton
authors: Sandi C
authors: SC
authors: Hayes
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Janda
authors: Penelope M
authors: PM
authors: Webb
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Obermair
authors: Elizabeth G
authors: EG
authors: Eakin
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Wyld
authors: Louisa G
authors: LG
authors: Gordon
authors: Vanessa L
authors: VL
authors: Beesley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents