Athletic Intervention After Thoracic Surgery for Lung Cancer: Rationale and Design of the ATHENA Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pulmonology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment often involves lung resection surgery.
• Lung resection negatively impacts respiratory muscle function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
• Optimal exercise interventions to improve pulmonary function post-surgery are yet to be determined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the outcomes of a specific athletic/physical protocol in patients undergoing lung surgery for NSCLC.
• To assess the feasibility, safety, and functional outcomes of a structured post-surgical athletic intervention.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, single-arm pilot cohort study involving NSCLC patients with high performance status.
• Patients underwent a 6-month athletic protocol (3 times/week) at the University of Pavia.
• Assessments included respiratory function, cardiopulmonary exercise capacity (CPET), caloric expenditure (METs), and HRQoL.

Main Results:

• The study will assess changes in CPET-derived VO₂peak, FEV₁, DLCO, MIP/MEP, METs, muscle power, and EORTC QLQ-C30 scores.
• Measurements will be taken at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.
• Caloric consumption will be measured using metabolic equivalents (METs).

Conclusions:

• This is the first prospective clinical trial to evaluate athletic programs for NSCLC patients post-surgery.
• The study aims to provide preliminary data on the functional outcomes of structured post-surgical athletic interventions.
• The findings will inform the development of optimal exercise strategies for early-stage NSCLC survivors.