A multicenter study on the relative effectiveness of a 12-week physical training program for adults with an oncologic diagnosis

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between cancer survivors’ socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and aerobic fitness changes following a physical training program. Methods: We assessed the association between participant’s characteristics and aerobic fitness in the six-min walk test (6MWT) after a 12-week LIVESTRONG® at Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) exercise program for adults with an oncologic diagnosis using linear mixed effects models. Results: Fifty-one percent of participants had a breast cancer diagnosis and 22 % had received treatment within 1 year of enrollment. At baseline, participants who reported good/excellent health status performed better in the 6MWT than those who reported poor/fair health status (384.2 vs. 345.0 m, p = 0.035). After 12 weeks, all participants increased their average 6MWT performance by 54.2 m. After adjustment for age, gender, physical activity level, and smoking status, participants who were 60 years old or younger had a greater increase in the 6MWT score than participants older than 60 years (63.2 vs. 43.9 m, p = 0.041) while those who had never been YMCA members had a greater increase in the 6MWT compared to those who had ever been a YMCA member (62.2 vs. 40.3 m, p = 0.041). Conclusion: Overall, aerobic fitness among adults with an oncologic diagnosis increased after a 12-week exercise program, particularly among participants who were 60 years old or younger or were not YMCA members at enrollment. Participants with poorer health had lower aerobic fitness at baseline, though they had a similar positive response to the program as healthier participants. Future study designs may include randomization and an additional untreated arm.