Physical Exercise Program in Lung Cancer Patients With Non-operable Disease Undergoing Palliative Treatment
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Advanced NSCLC
- Sponsor
- German Cancer Research Center
- Enrollment
- 232
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- QoL: Physical Well-Being (FACT-L)
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 7 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The investigators plan to evaluate, in a randomized, controlled phase III trial in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the effects of a 24-week exercise intervention program (EIP) on quality of life, physical functioning and immune function parameters. Eligible patients (n=250) will be enrolled in the Clinic for Thoracic Diseases, Heidelberg, over a time period of two years and followed up for a total of 12 months.
Patients will be randomized either to EIP plus Care Management Phone Calls (CMPC) versus CMPC alone (besides a proper symptom and side effect management CMPC ensures the potential influence of social contacts that can be anticipated for the patients in the intervention group).
Our primary aims are to investigate whether a combination of a partly supervised (in- and outpatient) and partly home-based endurance and resistance training improves quality of life (QoL) and lowers levels of fatigue (evaluation via the standardized and validated questionnaires FACT-L and MFI). In addition we propose to evaluate the effects of EIP on tumor specific immune responses. Biomarkers of immune function will be measured by cellular immunity and cytokine and chemokine panels.
Further secondary outcomes include measurement of anxiety, depression and demoralization, physical performance parameters (e.g. improvement in walk distance, muscle strength), as well as overall and progression free survival analyses.
The study builds on a previous feasibility study of a 8 weeks exercise intervention trial in patients with advanced NSCLC with the results being utilized in the design of the here proposed trial.
The investigators hypothesize that patients randomized in the exercise intervention group will show improved QoL and reduced fatigue, as well as improved physical functioning and increased tumor specific immune responses.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •NSCLC stage IIIB/IV
- •receiving systemic treatment (palliative radiotherapy accepted)
- •BMI \> 18
- •ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) performance status ≤ 2
- •signed informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
- •serious active infection (i.e. requiring an iv antibiotic, antifungal or antiviral agent)
- •inability to walk
- •immobility (more than two days)
- •previously untreated (non-irradiated or non-resected) symptomatic brain metastases;permitted are: (1) previously treated brain metastases \[radiotherapy, surgery, dexamethasone dosage 8 mg per day, anti-epileptic therapy\]; (2) asymptomatic brain metastases without additional therapy requirement
- •severe neurologic impairment (e.g. apoplectic insult, Morbus Parkinson, pareses of extremities)
- •severe cardiac impairment (e.g. cardiac insufficiency NYHA (New York Heart Association) \> III, myocardial infarction within the last three months, unexplained syncopal events, severe cardiac arrhythmias, high grade aortic stenosis)
- •severe respiratory insufficiency
- •uncontrolled pain
- •abuse of alcohol or drugs reducing compliance to the study
- •bone metastasis inducing skeletal fragility
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
QoL: Physical Well-Being (FACT-L)
Time Frame: assessed after 12 weeks of enrolement
The FACT-L (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung) questionnaire comprises of 36 items and deter-mines the quality of life in patients with lung cancer. It is separated in the subcategories "physical well-being" (PRIMARY OUTCOME), "emotional well-being", "social well-being", "functional well-being and disease-specific items". It is widely used in clinical studies and was already applied in exercise intervention studies in lung cancer patients
General Fatigue (MFI)
Time Frame: assessed after 12 weeks of enrolement
The MFI (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory) questionnaire (20 items) evaluates the extent of chronic fatigue and is divided into the 5 subscales "general fatigue", "physical fatigue", "mental fatigue", "reduced motivation" and "reduced activity". The MFI questionnaire is widely used in oncological studies and an adequate number of comparative samples exists.
Secondary Outcomes
- progression-free survival(for the period of 1 year after enrolement)
- Psychosocial Parameters (e.g. depression, anxiety, demoralization)(assessed every 3 month after enrolement until month 12)
- Overall survival(for the period of 1 year after enrolement)
- Physical Performance (endurance and strength capacity)(assessed every 3 month after enrolement until month 12)