Effects of resistance and aerobic exercises on physical capacity and quality of life outcomes in cancer patients

Background: Exercise as therapy is normally used in patients with cancer to reduce the fatigue and to improve quality of life. The effects of a mixed exercise , aerobic and of resistance , after a short period of training, it has not been well investigated. The study aims to verify the effects of the combination of fast walking and resistance exercise, to improve the cardiovascular, anthropometrics and water distribution parameters .Methods: A group of 10 survivors cancer subjects ( breast and colon) were submitted to a mixed exercise program composed of three times of physical exercise of fast walking and three times a week of resistance exercise. Before to start, they were all evaluated for the cardiovascular and exercise tolerance. The exams performed were BMI (Body Mass Index) and waist circumference (WC) , 6-Minute walking test (6MWT), with the evaluation of the heart rate ( HR ) and systolic(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure ( DBP) at rest and at the end of the exercise, the bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure Total Body water(TBW) , extracellular and intracellular water (ICW, ECW),the flexibility test (Sit and Reach test) and strength test for the upper limbs ( hand-grip test) and for lower one ( stand chair test) . From the 6MWT were obtained the parameters to establish the intensity and the duration of exercise per each patients. These exams were performed at the beginning of the study and after 3 months of exercises. Despite the program is non supervised , a wearable accelerometer was also positioned at the waist of the subjects at the end of the study for at least 1 week in order to count the number of the steps. Results. Among the anthropometrics parameters the BMI and WC showed a trend toward a reduction despite non significant ( BMI T0: 30,3±10.3 ;T3 :29,8±9.8 p=NS- WC TO: 92,4±19.2; T3: 90.9 ±17.3 cm p<0.05) , on the contrary the TBW has showed a significant reduction (T0: 38.1±8.2; T3: 37.0±7.9 p<0.05) . From the 6MWT data, the distance results to be significantly longer after 3 months (T0: 487.8±116.0 m; T3: 525,6±117.3 m p<0.05), as well a s the mean value of the rest DBP(T0 : 76,4±7.1 mmHg vs 72,2±7.1 mmHg p<0.05) . The flexibility evaluated using the “ sit and reach “test, is significantly improved ( T0: 0,4±7.4 cm vs T3: 4,1±6.1 cm p<.005) while the SBP mean value and and the data of the hand grip test did not show any significant variation. The number of the daily steps and the daily distance run, from the accelerometers report did not show any substantial modification. Conclusions: The combination of resistance and aerobic exercises determine a significant improvement in a short time, of the principal parameters strongly related with the quality of life and with the cardiovascular risks factors . This aspect is independent from the numbers of the daily steps run. The two kinds of exercise are easily accepted on behalf of the subjects investigated, inducing a larger adhesion to the exercise program in the cancer survivors population .