Benefits of exercise for leukaemia patients

Thursday August 6th, 2009

By Jane Collingwood
Exercise can improve fatigue and depression among leukaemia patients, new research suggests.

Extreme fatigue is a common consequence of leukaemia and its treatment. Dr Claudio Battaglini and his team at the University of North Carolina, USA, investigated whether patients are able to follow an exercise programme.

They recruited ten patients undergoing treatment for leukaemia and gave them exercise equipment and personalised exercise training. It consisted of aerobic and resistance exercises, core exercises, and light stretches tailored to the patient's level of fitness and leukaemia symptoms.

The patients were asked to carry out the exercises for the three to five weeks of the induction phase of leukaemia treatment, while in hospital. They were then asked to follow an aerobic exercise program during their two week recovery period at home.

Their heart rate, blood pressure, haemoglobin, body weight, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular endurance were measured before and after the exercise program, alongside fatigue, depression and quality of life.

Dr Battaglini explains: "We found that the patients experienced significant reduction in total fatigue and depression scores, as well as improved cardiorespiratory endurance and maintenance of muscular endurance.

"This is important because of the numerous side-effects related to cancer treatment, and particularly leukaemia treatment, which requires confinement to a hospital room for four to six weeks to avoid the risk of infection.

"We have demonstrated that these patients not only can complete an exercise programme in the hospital but that they may receive both physiological and psychological benefits that could assist in their recovery," he added.

Full results are published in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies.

Battaglini, C. et al. The Effect of an Exercise Program in Leukemia Patients. Integrative Cancer Therapies, in press.

Tags: Cancer | Fitness | North America

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