The important role of exercise for patients with pancreatic cancer
The paper
Luo H, Galvão DA, Newton RU, Tang CI, Hart NH, Singh F, Dean A, Jasas K, Johansson M, Yusoff I, Spry N, Taaffe DR. Evaluation of a Clinic-Based Exercise Program in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer Undergoing Nonsurgical Treatment. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023 Jan 1;55(1):9-19. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003019. Epub 2022 Aug 6. PMID: 35941522.
What was this research about?
There is a growing body of evidence that exercise plays an important role in cancer care. It can reverse the negative physical and psychological side effects of treatment and improve quality of life and well-being.
There isn’t enough evidence yet on the role of exercise for each different type of cancer. This paper aimed to add to the evidence base by evaluating a clinic-based exercise program in patients with pancreatic cancer in Western Australia.
Nineteen patients having non-surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer were supervised by an accredited exercise physiologist to undertake individually tailored combined aerobic and resistance exercise twice a week for 12 weeks. They were also encouraged to do about 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, like walking or cycling, on their own each week.
What did the paper show?
The findings showed a supervised exercise program is safe for pancreatic cancer patients of various ages, comorbidities, and functional status undergoing chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. There were no serious adverse events from the exercise program.
Despite being very sick and experiencing significant side effects from their cancer treatment, the patients with pancreatic cancer all experienced significant improvements in functional ability, muscle strength and static balance. These improvements largely lasted for the patients who continued the program longer than 12 weeks.
There was some evidence that the exercise program counteracted declines in body composition, cancer-related fatigue, psychological distress, and quality of life.
What is the significance of these findings?
This paper shows that patients with pancreatic cancer should not be precluded from exercising, though it is recommended that they should do so under supervision of exercise professionals.
The findings add to the general body of evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of exercise in patients with cancer, including cancers with poor prognoses or considerable treatment burden, such as pancreatic cancer.
Exercise has many benefits for cancer patients. Improving and maintaining physical fitness and function is important for people receiving cancer treatment. Exercise can reverse loss of muscle mass, which can be a significant problem especially in pancreatic cancer. Using exercise to reduce fatigue and psychological distress can prevent anxiety, depression and worsening quality of life that are common in people with cancer.
What happens next?
More evidence from a larger sample size is still needed to consolidate these findings.
Associate Professor Nicolas Hart is an NHMRC Investigator Fellow in Cancer Survivorship undertaking a research program at UTS to improve outcomes for all people affected by cancer (including caregivers), with an emphasis on those affected by advanced or metastatic cancer. His work includes the use of exercise as a medicine in cancer care and as part of the suite of care supports within a cancer survivorship program. His work also seeks to understand how exercise influences disease biology, disease progression, and overall survival.
