Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2025
Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
Published on: October 6, 2016
Effects of combined exercise training on the inflammatory profile of older cancer patients treated with systemic
Hugo Parent-Roberge1,2, Adeline Fontvieille1,2, René Maréchal1,2
1University of Sherbrooke, Faculty of Physical Activity Sciences, 2500, boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada.
Abstract:
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a major issue in older cancer patients as it is associated with functional decline and a lower quality of life, and an increased inflammatory activity during cancer therapy is suspected to play a key role in CRF etiology. Combined aerobic and resistance exercise training is known to reduce CRF, and this could be mediated by a protective effect against this increased inflammatory activity. Hence, the main objective was to measure the effect of a 12-week combined exercise training on the inflammatory profile of older cancer patients undergoing systemic therapy. A secondary objective was to verify if there was an association between inflammatory profile and CRF.
Methods:
Twenty older non-metastatic cancer patients initiating chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of supervised, combined exercise or a control group (static stretching). Primary outcomes were the inflammatory profile, Indoleamine 2,3-deoxygenase activity (KYN/TRP ratio), and CRF (FACIT-F questionnaire). Control outcomes were the fasting nutritional and hormonal blood profiles, body composition (iDXA), physical activity habits (PASE questionnaire), nutritional habits (3-day log), and treatment-related variables.
Results:
No worsening of the inflammatory profile was observed in both arms of the study after the intervention. No significant change in CRF was observed, although there was a trend for a reduction in the experimental group (p = 0.10). Significant correlations were found at both timepoints between the KYN/TRP ratio and the delay with the previous treatment received (p ≤ 0.03).
Conclusion:
These results suggest that exercise might have elicited a positive effect on CRF, which was not mediated by the modulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine profile. However, the decrease in IL-6/IL-10 ratio in the exercise group might reflect a possible anti-inflammatory effect of exercise. Moreover, exploratory analyses suggest that an acute effect of chemotherapy treatments influenced the inflammatory profile measurements, which could explain the absence of change in the fasting inflammatory profile.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
01:19Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
02:59Cancer Prevention
Some...