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Updated: May 27, 2026
07:26
Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
Factors influencing exercise performance in thoracic cancer
Ruth England1, Matthew Maddocks, Cathann Manderson
1Department of Palliative Medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK.
Respiratory Medicine
|November 23, 2011
Summary
In patients with thoracic cancer, reduced exercise ability is linked to inspiratory and peripheral muscle weakness. Rehabilitation programs focusing on these muscles may improve exercise performance.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Oncology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Patients with incurable thoracic cancer frequently experience reduced exercise capacity.
- The underlying physiological and psychological factors contributing to this limitation are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between various physiological and psychological factors and exercise performance in patients with thoracic cancer.
Main Methods:
- Assessed inspiratory muscle strength, peripheral muscle power, lung function, and mastery over breathlessness.
- Measured exercise performance using the Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT).
- Analyzed relationships using correlation and regression coefficients.
Main Results:
- Exercise performance was significantly associated with inspiratory muscle strength (r=0.42) and peripheral muscle power (r=0.39).
- These muscle parameters were significant predictors of exercise performance.
- Lung function and mastery over breathlessness did not show significant associations.
Conclusions:
- Inspiratory and peripheral muscle performance are key determinants of exercise capacity in thoracic cancer patients.
- Rehabilitation strategies incorporating inspiratory and peripheral muscle training warrant further investigation for this population.
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