Long-Term Effects of High-Intensity Training after Lung Cancer Surgery-A 5-Yr Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled...

To evaluate long-term extended effects of 20 wk of high-intensity training (HIT) performed shortly after lung cancer surgery on physical fitness, muscle mass, pulmonary function, quality of life (QoL), and survival.

All participants in the original HIT-trial were invited 5 yr after surgery. Original measures were repeated by the same technician and equipment. All-cause mortality was registered 5- and 10-yr postsurgery.

Of 61 patients who completed the 20-wk intervention, 40 (66%) were alive at 5 yr and 32 (80% of survivors; HIT n = 15, standard of care (SoC) n = 17) completed follow-up testing. No significant between-group difference was observed in the primary outcome, peak oxygen uptake 5 yr after HIT (adjusted mean difference 1.13 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 , P = 0.576). Similarly, there were no between-group differences in physical function, muscle mass, pulmonary function, or QoL. In contrast, a significant sustainable difference in leg-press strength was observed in the HIT group compared with the SoC group (23 kg, P = 0.048). Regarding survival, 5-yr survival rates were similar between the HIT group (67%) and the SoC group (65%). Although the HIT group demonstrated a tendency toward longer median postoperative survival (60.0 ± 32.6 months, 95% confidence intervals: 43.2-76.8) compared with the SoC group (43.0 ± 33.5 months, 95% confidence intervals: 24.4-61.5), this difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.760). At 10 yr, no differences in survival rates were observed between the groups.

Twenty weeks of HIT after lung cancer surgery led to a significant effect in leg-press strength after 5 yr but showed no long-term effects on peak oxygen uptake, muscle mass, pulmonary function, QoL, or survival compared with SoC.