title: Feasibility and efficacy of a supervised exercise intervention in de-conditioned cancer survivors during the early survivorship phase: the PEACH trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an 8-week supervised exercise program in de-conditioned cancer survivors within 2-6 months of chemotherapy completion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomly assigned to an 8-week, twice-weekly, supervised aerobic exercise training regime (n = 23) or a usual care group (n = 20). Feasibility was assessed by recruitment rate, program adherence and participant feedback. The primary outcome was aerobic fitness assessed by the Modified Bruce fitness test at baseline (0 weeks), post-intervention (8 weeks) and at 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included physical activity, waist circumference, fatigue and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recruitment rate was 81 % and adherence to the supervised exercise was 78.3 %. Meaningful differences in aerobic fitness between the exercise and usual care groups at both the 8-week [mean 3.0 mL kg(-1) min(-1) (95 % CI -1.1-7.0)] and 3-month follow-up [2.1 mL kg(-1) min(-1) (-2.3-6.6)] were found, although these differences did not achieve statistical significance (p values >0.14). Self-reported physical activity increased in the exercise group (EG) compared to the usual care group at both 8-week (p = 0.01) and 3-month follow-up (p = 0.03) and significant differences in favour of the EG were found for physical well-being at both the 8-week (p = 0.03) and 3-month follow-up (p = 0.04). Improvements in fatigue (p = 0.01), total quality of life plus fatigue (p = 0.04), and a composite physical functioning score (p = 0.01) at the 3-month follow-up were also found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PEACH trial suggests that 8 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise training was feasible and may improve aerobic fitness, fatigue and quality of life in de-conditioned cancer survivors during the early survivorship phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise interventions commenced in the early survivorship phase appear safe, feasible and may lead to improvements in QOL and fatigue.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Science, St. James's Hospital, St. James's Street, Dublin 8, Ireland, broderju@tcd.ie.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Broderick
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guinan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hollywood
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Courneya
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Culos-Reed
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: O' Donnell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hussey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome