title: Feasibility and effectiveness of a home-based exercise training program before lung resection surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with lung cancer often experience a reduction in exercise tolerance, muscle weakness and decreased quality of life. Although the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation programs is well recognized in other forms of cancers and in many pulmonary diseases, few researchers have studied its impact in patients with lung cancer, particularly in those awaiting lung resection surgery (LRS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of a short, home-based exercise training program (HBETP) with patients under investigation for non-small cell lung cancer and potential candidates for LRS, and to determine the effectiveness of this program on exercise tolerance, skeletal muscle strength and quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients with lung cancer awaiting LRS participated in a four-week HBETP including moderate aerobic activities (walking and cycling) and muscle training performed three times weekly. Before and after the intervention, a cardiopulmonary exercise test, a 6 min walk test and the assessment of muscle strength and quality of life were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients completed the four-week HBETP and all the patients completed >75% of the prescribed exercise sessions. The duration of the cycle endurance test (264±79 s versus 421±241 s; P<0.05) and the 6 min walk test distance (540±98 m versus 568±101 m; P<0.05) were significantly improved. Moreover, the strength of the deltoid, triceps and hamstrings were significantly improved (∆ post-pre training 1.82±2.83 kg, 1.32±1.75 kg and 3.41±3.7 kg; P<0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with lung cancer awaiting LRS, HBETP was feasible and improved exercise tolerance and muscle strength. This may be clinically relevant because poor exercise capacity and muscle weakness are predictors of postoperative complications.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institute universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Quebec, Univeriste Laval, Québec.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Coats
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maltais
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fréchette
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000601:surgery*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D013147:Spirometry; D016896:Treatment Outcome