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Annals of Oncology Advance Access published online on April 1, 2008
Annals of Oncology, doi:10.1093/annonc/mdn068
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Effects of an endurance and resistance exercise program on persistent cancer-related fatigue after treatment

F. Dimeo*, S. Schwartz, N. Wesel, A. Voigt and E. Thiel

Department of Hematology, Oncology and Transfusion Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

* Correspondence to: Dr F. Dimeo, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Germany. Tel: +49-30-8445-2098; Fax: +49-30-8445-4767; E-mail: fernando.dimeo{at}charite.de

Background: Fatigue is a relevant problem of cancer patients during and after treatment. Several studies have shown that exercise can improve quality of life and functional status of cancer patients undergoing chemo- or radiotherapy. However, there is a lack of information about the effects of this intervention on persistent cancer-related fatigue. Therefore, we assessed the effects of an exercise program on cancer-related fatigue after treatment.

Patients and methods: A consecutive series of 32 cancer patients with mild to severe persistent fatigue [scores on the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) > 25] participated in a 3-week exercise program consisting of endurance (30 min walking on a treadmill) and resistance/coordination exercises for the major muscle groups. Fatigue, mood, and anxiety were assessed with questionnaires and physical performance with a stress test before and after the program.

Results: At the end of the program, we observed a significant increase of physical performance (workload at the anaerobic threshold pre 61 ± 26 W, post 78 ± 31 W, P < 0.0001) and reduction of global fatigue (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: pre 45.7 ± 13.4, post 52.6 ± 12.4, P < 0.0001; BFI: pre 37.9 ± 18.3, post 31.2 ±17.1, P < 0.001). However, no significant improvement of cognitive fatigue or reduction of anxiety was observed.

Conclusions: A 3-week exercise program leads to a substantial improvement of physical performance and reduction of mental and physical fatigue in cancer patients after treatment. However, this intervention does not affect depression, anxiety, or cognitive fatigue.

Anxiety, cognition, depression, exercise, fatigue, mood, supportive therapy

Received for publication November 15, 2007. Revision received February 20, 2008. Accepted for publication February 21, 2008.


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