Outcomes of Pulmonary Rehabilitation After Lung Resection in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an evidence-based, interdisciplinary, comprehensive exercise program that targets patients with symptomatic chronic respiratory disease. PR integrates exercise and training interventions into a personalized treatment program. PR has become an important component of the general treatment strategy in patients with high-risk surgical diseases such as lung resection. It helps patients return to normal not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally. In patients with lung cancer, preoperative PR increases exercise capacity, decreases post-operative morbidity and mortality. Although it is reported that the PR program applied in the post-operative period increases physical performance and improves the quality of life, referral of patients in need of the PR unit is less than 25%. There is a need to increase the awareness of both pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons about the benefits of the PR program, which is a non-pharmacological and effective intervention.

The investigators have had two objectives in this study. 1- To examine the effectiveness of PR applied after lung resection in patients with lung cancer, 2- To determine whether the respiratory exercise training given to patients who could not participate in the PR program is effective.

An 8-week comprehensive outpatient PR program will applied to half of 66 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent lung resection, and the other half received respiratory exercise training. After the intervention, the results of both groups will compare.