title: A randomised controlled trial comparing the effects of a 12-week supervised exercise versus usual care on outcomes in haematological cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Following treatment, haematological cancer (HEM) patients exhibit significant physical deconditioning and psychological distress. Exercise has been shown as a clinically effective and safe intervention for cancer patients, with the potential to reverse the deleterious effects following treatment. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of a 12-week exercise rehabilitation on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and associated outcomes in HEM patients post-treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a HEM were recruited to participate in a 12-week exercise rehabilitation intervention post-treatment. Pre-, post- and follow-up assessments were conducted on outcome measures including CRF, quality of life (QoL), psychological distress, cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength (MS) and body composition. Patients were given tailored exercise programmes comprising aerobic and resistance exercises, carried out three times per week for 12 weeks in local gyms and clinics. Usual-care participants were offered a delayed, tailored 12-week exercise intervention after the initial study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven patients (49 % recruitment rate) were randomly assigned to the 12-week exercise rehabilitation (n = 18) or usual care (n = 19) with a 91 % adherence to the exercise intervention. Following the exercise programme, significant improvements were seen in CRF (p = 0.01), cardiovascular fitness (p ≤ 0.001), QoL (p ≤ 0.001), MS (p ≤ 0.001) and body composition (p = 0.001), with moderate to large effects for all primary outcomes. Patient follow-up at 24 weeks demonstrated outcome maintenance in the exercise rehabilitation group and significant improvements in outcomes in usual-care patients following participation in a delayed exercise programme. There were no adverse reactions or study withdrawals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 12-week exercise rehabilitation programme resulted in significant statistical (p ≤ 0.05) and clinical improvements in CRF and additional outcomes in HEM patients following treatment. Additionally, a 12-week delayed exercise programme showed similar significant improvements in patient outcomes.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12609000450213.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, M408, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia. bonnie.furzer@uwa.edu.au.|SolarisCare Foundation Collaborative Research Team, PO Box 7144, Shenton Park, WA, 6008, Australia. bonnie.furzer@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Bonnie J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Furzer
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, M408, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Ackland
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, M408, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Wallman
authors.affiliation: SolarisCare Foundation Collaborative Research Team, PO Box 7144, Shenton Park, WA, 6008, Australia.|Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Petterson
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, M408, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandy M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, M408, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Kemi E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, M408, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.|SolarisCare Foundation Collaborative Research Team, PO Box 7144, Shenton Park, WA, 6008, Australia.|Haematology Care Centre, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, E Block, Hospital Ave, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: David J L
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Joske
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Exercise; Fatigue; Haematological cancer; Physical function; Quality of life; Supportive care