Jensen, W., Baumann, F.T., Stein, A., Bloch, W., Bokemeyer, C., de Wit, M., & Oechsle, K. (2014). Exercise training in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy: A pilot study. Supportive Care in Cancer, 22, 1797–1806.
To investigate the feasibility of two different training programs including resistance and aerobic exercise in a small cohort of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy; the study aimed to investigate potential effects of these programs on quality of life according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) as well as on physical performance, biological parameters, and activities of daily living
Two-group randomized trial
The postinterventional fatigue level decreased in both subgroups, suggesting that both programs seem to have positive effects on fatigue in patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy.
Further prospective, controlled trials with larger sample sizes are needed to adequately analyze the efficacy of these programs in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer currently undergoing palliative chemotherapy.