Can exercise ameliorate treatment toxicity during the initial phase of testosterone deprivation in prostate cancer patients? Is this more effective than delayed rehabilitation?

Background: There has been substantial increase in use of androgen deprivation therapy as adjuvant management of prostate cancer. However, this leads to a range of musculoskeletal toxicities including reduced bone mass and increased skeletal fractures compounded with rapid metabolic alterations, including increased body fat, reduced lean mass, insulin resistance and negative lipoprotein profile, increased incidence of cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity, greater distress and reduced quality of life. Numerous research studies have demonstrated certain exercise prescriptions to be effective at preventing or even reversing these treatment toxicities. However, all interventions to date have been of rehabilitative intent being implemented after a minimum of 3 months since initiation of androgen deprivation, by which time considerable physical and psychological health problems have manifested. The pressing question is whether it is more efficacious to commence exercise therapy at the same time as initiating androgen deprivation, so treatment induced adverse effects can be immediately attenuated or indeed prevented.Methods/design: We are proposing a multi-site randomized controlled trial with partial crossover to examine the effects of timing of exercise implementation (immediate or delayed) on preserving long-term skeletal health, reversing short- and long-term metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, and supporting mental health in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy. 124 men who are about to initiate androgen deprivation for prostate cancer will be randomized to immediate or delayed groups. Immediate will commence a 6-month exercise program within 7-10 days of their first dose. Delayed will receive usual care for 6 months and then commence the exercise program for 6 months (partial cross-over). Immediate will be free to adopt the lifestyle of their choosing following the initial 6-month intervention. Measurements for primary and secondary endpoints will take place at baseline, 6 months and 12 months.Discussion: This project is unique as it explores a fundamental question of when exercise implementation will be of most benefit and addresses both physical and psychological consequences of androgen deprivation initiation. The final outcome may be adjunct treatment which will reduce if not prevent the toxicities of androgen deprivation, ultimately resulting in reduced morbidity and mortality for men with prostate cancer.Trial registration: ACTRN12612000097842

Experience of severe fatigue in long-term survivors of stem cell transplantation.

Contains fulltext : 51488.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)The literature suggests that cancer survivors with more aggressive treatments are more at risk for postcancer fatigue. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of fatigue after completion of stem cell transplantation (SCT). Furthermore, we studied if medical variables are associated with fatigue and if the model of perpetuating factors of postcancer fatigue derived from previous studies in cancer survivors, without SCT, is applicable in SCT survivors. Ninety-eight patients treated with autologous or allogeneic SCT filled out several questionnaires. Medical characteristics were obtained from the medical charts. All patients had to be in persistent complete remission for at least 1 year. Thirty-five per cent of the patients experienced severe fatigue. The percentage of patients with severe fatigue remained stable during the years after transplantation. Several psychosocial factors, but no medical factors, were associated with fatigue. The model of perpetuating factors appeared to be applicable. Contrary to cancer survivors without SCT, we found no decrease in fatigue complaints during the first years after SCT. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a general form of psychotherapy directed at changing condition-related cognitions and behaviours. CBT especially designed for postcancer fatigue, aimed at perpetuating factors, can also be used to manage fatigue in cancer survivors treated with SCT