title: Home-based exercise: promising rehabilitation for symptom relief, improved functional status and quality of life for post-surgical lung cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-thoracotomy non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients report cancer-related fatigue (CRF) as a severe symptom that may increase the occurrence and severity of other symptoms while decreasing functional status and quality of life (QOL). The aim of this pilot study was to describe the effects of a home-based rehabilitative exercise intervention on CRF, other symptoms, functional status, and QOL for post-surgical NSCLC patients starting within days after hospital discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven post-thoracotomy NSCLC patients completed the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) measuring CRF severity, and the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory measuring symptom severity at pre- and post-surgery, and at the end of each week of the six-week intervention. Additionally, the Medical Outcomes Short-Form-36 measuring physical and mental functional status; and the Quality of Life Index (QLI) measuring QOL were completed pre- and post-surgery, after week 3, and at the end of the intervention (week 6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a mean age of 65 years, a mean of 6 co-morbid conditions, and initiated the intervention within 4 days after hospital discharge. Participants' CRF severity scores were reduced to mild levels while the mean number of symptoms decreased from 10.4 post-surgery to 7.0 at week 6 with lower levels of severity and interference. Likewise, participants' post-intervention functional status and QOL improved to near or above pre-surgical levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exercise intervention for post-surgical NSCLC patients showed promising preliminary efficacy in improving CRF, other symptom severity, functional status, and QOL. Further testing via a two-arm randomized controlled trial is being conducted.
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Amy J
authors: AJ
authors: Hoffman
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Ruth Ann
authors: RA
authors: Brintnall
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: von Eye
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Lee W
authors: LW
authors: Jones
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Gordon
authors: G
authors: Alderink
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Lawrence H
authors: LH
authors: Patzelt
authors: 1 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 2 Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 3 Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 4 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA ; 5 Frederik Meijer Honors College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ; 6 West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Grand Rapids, Michigan and College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA ; 7 School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Jean K
authors: JK
authors: Brown
keywords: Lung cancer; cancer-related fatigue (CRF); exercise; functional status; quality of life (QOL); symptoms