Cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength in pancreatic cancer patients

• Verfasst von: Clauss, Dorothea [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Tjaden, Christin [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Hackert, Thilo [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Schneider, Lutz [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Ulrich, Cornelia [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Wiskemann, Joachim [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Steindorf, Karen [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength in pancreatic cancer patients
• Verf.angabe: Dorothea Clauss, Christine Tjaden, Thilo Hackert, Lutz Schneider, Cornelia M. Ulrich, Joachim Wiskemann, Karen Steindorf
• E-Jahr: 2017
• Jahr: 17 April 2017
• Umfang: 11 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 09.08.2018
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Supportive care in cancer
• Ort Quelle: Berlin : Springer, 1993
• Jahr Quelle: 2017
• Band/Heft Quelle: 25(2017), 9, Seite 2797-2807
• ISSN Quelle: 1433-7339
• DOI: doi:10.1007/s00520-017-3694-8
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• K10plus-PPN: 1578406552

Abstract

PurposeCancer patients frequently experience reduced physical fitness due to the disease itself as well as treatment-related side effects. However, studies on physical fitness in pancreatic cancer patients are missing. Therefore, we assessed cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength of pancreatic cancer patients.MethodsWe included 65 pancreatic cancer patients, mostly after surgical resection. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and 6-min walk test (6MWT). Hand-held dynamometry was used to evaluate isometric muscle strength. Physical fitness values were compared to reference values of a healthy population. Associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables with patients’ physical fitness were analyzed using multiple regression models.ResultsCardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak, 20.5 ± 6.9 ml/min/kg) was significantly lower (−24%) compared to healthy reference values. In the 6MWT pancreatic cancer patients nearly reached predicted values (555 vs. 562 m). Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the upper (−4.3%) and lower extremities (−13.8%) were significantly lower compared to reference values. Overall differences were larger in men than those in women. Participating in regular exercise in the year before diagnosis was associated with greater VO2peak (p < .05) and MVIC of the knee extensors (p < .05).ConclusionsPancreatic cancer patients had significantly impaired physical fitness with regard to both cardiorespiratory function and isometric muscle strength, already in the early treatment phase (median 95 days after surgical resection). Our findings underline the need to investigate exercise training in pancreatic cancer patients to counteract the loss of physical fitness.