Is Exercise During Androgen Deprivation Therapy Effective and Safe? A Randomized Controlled Trial

To explore the benefits and safety of supervised and unsupervised exercise among localized and metastatic prostate cancer patients (PCa) during long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). A total of 44 PCa patients were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the supervised exercise sessions group or the unsupervised home-based exercise group for three months. The primary outcomes assessed included quality of life (QoL), body composition, and metabolic markers, which were measured at baseline, after 3 months, and at 6 months. Muscle strength was evaluated exclusively in the supervised exercise group. The main statistical models used were the Mann-Whitney U-test for between-group comparisons and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for within-group changes. No adverse events were reported during the exercise period. There were no significant differences in QoL, body composition, or metabolic profiles between the intervention and control groups. The supervised exercise group demonstrated significant improvement in emotional functioning (Z = -2.102, p = 0.036) and all exercise performance metrics (p < 0.001), with the most pronounced gains observed in the leg press (Z = -4.17, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant association was identified between strength improvements and enhanced self-evaluated physical function (p < 0.001). Supervised exercise is safe for patients with localized and metastatic PCa undergoing ADT and leads to significant improvements in emotional well-being and muscle strength, which translate to better self-reported physical function. Findings underscore the need for RCTs with longer intervention and follow-up periods on supervised exercise, especially in metastatic PCa patients. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: #NCT04050397.