Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Therapy
Dec 04, 2019 | Samer H. Ellahham, MD, FACC
Expert Analysis
Introduction
Also, cancer and CVD have several common risk factors such as smoking,
diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome.15 Additionally, anti-
cancer anthracycline-based chemotherapies, monoclonal antibodies such as
trastuzumab, and radiation therapies that oncologists regularly prescribe are
known to have cardiac toxicities.16 Cardiologists form an integral part of the
cardio-oncology team to preempt, diagnose, and treat cardiovascular side effects
of oncologic treatments.17 Cardiologists are well-versed with cardiac rehabilitation
non-pharmacological intervention models such as prescribed exercise, education,
counseling, and lifestyle modifications. They can work with oncologists to
incorporate these models in the cancer setting as well.8 Oncologists should
collaborate with cardiologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, psychologists, and
others to form a multidisciplinary team that looks at the exercise and diet aspects
of patients with cancer. The physiotherapist in the cardio-oncology team should
also be able to recognize when the prescribed exercise starts exhausting their
patient and to change its type and intensity without majorly affecting its benefits,
where possible. This review is an attempt to educate the cardio-oncology team
about the types of exercises that can be prescribed to patients with cancer, when
the exercises can be prescribed, exercise intensity, and the benefits provided by
these exercises in alleviating the side effects of cancer and its treatment and in
improving the cardiovascular fitness of the patients with cancer and survivors of
cancer.
Clinicians should understand that exercise and physical activity are two distinct
entities. Physical activity is any movement by the musculoskeletal system resulting
in energy expenditure. Exercise is a planned, structured, and repetitive physical
activity that has a purpose and calculated and planned energy expenditure.
Exercise can be prescribed during the pre-habilitation phase (time period between
cancer diagnosis and initiation of its treatment), habilitation (during treatment),
and rehabilitation phase (after therapy in survivors).
There are various types of exercises (aerobic, resistance, strength, weight and
impact, balance, and flexibility and relaxation) that can be prescribed in various
combinations depending on the symptoms.
The cardio-oncology team can decide which exercise type will benefit the
concerned patient with cancer depending on the patient's physical, psycho-
physical, and psychological symptoms (Table 3).1,3 Restorative exercise along with
yoga helps significantly improve fatigue, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, constipation,
risk for lymphedema, feeling of overall wellbeing, and cognitive and social
functioning (p < 0.05).3,14
Table 3: Types of Exercises and Their Effect on Cancer Symptoms and Adverse
Effects of Cancer Therapy1
Each exercise prescription should follow the FITT principle and clearly state
frequency (the number of times the exercise will be performed per week),
intensity, time or duration, and type of exercise.22,23 Intensity of exercise can be
measured subjectively by the patient and objectively by the physician or trainer
(Figure 1).22,24-26 At each stage, patients should be monitored carefully and the
exercise regimen modified based on the patient's physical condition, endurance,
and fatigue level along with cardiovascular fitness and presence of cardiovascular
risk factors.8,21,23
Patients with cancer who are severely debilitated and have other comorbidities or
cardiovascular risk factors or have experienced or are at risk of experiencing
cardiovascular side effects due to cancer therapy should initially be exercised in a
supervised setting by a trained physical therapist. Community-based programs will
benefit cancer survivors with least debility.21,27 Exercise programs in a supervised
or group setting have multiple benefits and are found to be superior in improving
QOL, fatigue, and muscular strength than an individual exercising alone. These
programs provide the right motivation, exercise technique, and a safe
environment to exercise.20,28
The next important thing for the cardio-oncology team is to assess the patient's
condition to chalk out an exercise regimen that would be beneficial for the
patient. The pre-exercise assessment should include the patient's general
condition and special considerations (e.g., lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy,
cardiovascular risk, musculoskeletal morbidities, cardiac issues, and special
situations such as central lines, ostomies, or breast reconstruction) (Table 4).3,8,22
Normal Testing
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET)
Resting blood pressure (BP) ≤160/90 mmHg (If elevated, recheck after 5 minutes. If still elevated,
then reschedule CPET after patient is seen by provider to adjust BP medications.)
Normal BP response to exercise
No inducible ischemia
No atrial or ventricular arrhythmias
Maintain normal O2 saturations
No symptoms (Symptoms such as dyspnea, chest pain, or dizziness or other cardiac symptoms
during exercise deemed abnormal by supervising physician.)
6-Minute Walk Test
Resting BP ≤160/90 mmHg (If elevated, recheck after 5 minutes. If still elevated, then reschedule
CPET after patient is seen by provider to adjust BP medications.)
Maintain normal O2 saturations
Laboratory Studies
Absence of severe anemia (<8.0 g/dL)
Absolute neutrophil count >500 mm3
Platelet count >50 000/mcL
No Baseline Symptoms
Acute nausea during exercise
Vomiting within 24 hours
Disorientation
Blurred vision
Ongoing Cancer Complications
Acute infection
Acute metabolic disease (Examples include abnormal thyroid function, uncontrolled diabetes
mellitus, and electrolyte abnormalities.)
New-onset lymphedema
Mental or physical impairment to exercise
Initial wound healing after surgery
Bone or brain metastasis (For patients with bone or brain metastases, a plan needs to include a
consultation with oncology rehabilitation to establish a patient-specific safe exercise plan.)
Displays Exercise Knowledge
Understands functions of aerobic and resistance equipment
Demonstrates correct form on equipment
Understands perceived exertion and heart rate goals; performs exercise accordingly
Adapted from Gilchrist et al.8
Clinicians should be aware of the challenges and barriers that prevent patients
with cancer from adhering to their exercise programs. Exercising can be a
challenge in patients with cancer because physical activity decreases during
course of disease, resulting in de-conditioning or reduced exercise capacity.
Additionally, cancer cells release substances such as circulating cytokines,
proteolysis-inducing factor, and lipid-mobilizing factor that impair energy
metabolism. Cancer and its treatment can cause anorexia, nausea, vomiting,
dehydration, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial death, and
skeletal muscle atrophy, all of which reduce the exercise capacity. Cardiovascular
complications of cancer treatment also make exercising difficult.21,29
Apart from this, several oncology care settings lack proper exercise screening,
implementation, and referral programs. Oncologists and patients both lack proper
guidance and knowledge about exercising, and the multidisciplinary team often
does not have a trained physical therapist to guide the exercise sessions.30
Similarly, the multitude of surgical procedures, treatment options and their side
effects, types of cancer, and variance in metastatic spread makes it impossible to
develop a single exercise protocol/regimen that can be universally followed.23
Positive exercise history, high motivation level, fewer exercise limitations, and
availability of an exercise center close to home are independent predictors of
adherence to exercise during cancer treatment. In cancer survivors, adherence to
exercise during cancer treatment, high motivation levels, decreased alcohol
consumption, availability of physical trainers and training centers, less extensive
surgery, family support, and the right patient education predict higher adherence
to exercise.31
This review
highlights the
importance
of exercise as
a safe and
effective
strategy to
improve
physical,
muscular,
and
cardiovascular fitness in adult patients with cancer and improve their QOL.
Multimodal regimens incorporating exercise with nutrition and psychological
support need to be tested to find a model that can be universally applied with
scope for suitable alterations. Exercise does seem to have some cognitive benefit,
and this should continue to be studied in detail. There is still not much clarity on
the timing, type, intensity, and frequency of exercise that gives maximum
cognitive benefit.33,34 Further research in this area will empower the cardio-
oncology team to better adjust exercise in their oncology prescriptions, improve
their cardio-respiratory fitness, and reduce associated cardiovascular risk.
References
Share via: 25