title: Feasibility and efficacy of a 12-week supervised exercise intervention for colorectal cancer survivors.
abstract: Exercise training improves health-related physical fitness and patient-reported outcomes in cancer survivors, but few interventions have targeted colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. This investigation aimed to determine the feasibility and efficacy of a 12-week supervised exercise training program for CRC survivors. Feasibility was assessed by tracking participant recruitment, loss to follow-up, assessment completion rates, participant evaluation, and adherence to the intervention. Efficacy was determined by changes in health-related physical fitness. Over a 1-year period, 72 of 351 (21%) CRC survivors screened were eligible for the study and 29 of the 72 (40%) were enrolled. Two participants were lost to follow-up (7%) and the completion rate for all study assessments was ≥93%. Mean adherence to the exercise intervention was 91% (standard deviation = ±18%), with a median of 98%. Participants rated the intervention positively (all items ≥ 6.6/7) and burden of testing low (all tests ≤ 2.4/7). Compared with baseline, CRC survivors showed improvements in peak oxygen uptake (mean change (MC) = +0.24 L·min(-1), p < 0.001), upper (MC = +7.0 kg, p < 0.001) and lower (MC = +26.5 kg, p < 0.001) body strength, waist circumference (MC = -2.1 cm, p = 0.005), sum of skinfolds (MC = -7.9 mm, p = 0.006), and trunk forward flexion (MC = +2.5 cm, p = 0.019). Exercise training was found to be feasible and improved many aspects of health-related physical fitness in CRC survivors that may be associated with improved quality of life and survival in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, E459 Van Vliet Center, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H9, Canada.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sellar
authors.forename: Gordon J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Haennel
authors.forename: Heather-Jane
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Kerry S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Courneya
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: activité physique; aerobic exercise; cancer survivors; colorectal; condition physique associée à la santé; efficacité; efficacy; exercice aérobie; exercice contre résistance; faisabilité; feasibility; health-related physical fitness; physical activity; resistance exercise; supervised; supervision; survivants du cancer