Benefits of Resistance and Aerobic Exercise Association

to Nutritional Advice in Cancer Patients

Physical Exercise in Cancer Survivors

Cristian Petri, Laura Stefani, Gabriele Mascherini, Lorenzo Francini, Lisa Sequi and Giorgio Galanti

Sports Medicine Department, University of Florence, largo Brambilla 3, Florence, Italy

1 OBJECTIVES

In cancer patients visceral and subcutaneous fat is

strongly related to an enhancement of the

comorbidities (

Stevinson C, 1990).

Correction of dietary habits and Physical Exercise

(PE) are means used for the reduction of metabolic

risk factors especially in these patients.

Aerobic exercise has been well studied but few data

are available in case of combination with resistance

exercise.

The aim of the study is to assess the effects of both

exercise, resistance and aerobic, associated to

correction of dietary habits in reducing the major

risk factors (

Dimeo F, 2008).

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects studied:

15 survived breast cancer women (age T0: 55.51 ±

10.94, T6: 56.19 ± 10.85, weight T0:

76,25 ± 19,49,

T6: 75,96 ±17,91 kg, height 162,67 ± 9.46 cm)

previously treated with chemotherapy were

subjected to an home based exercise program that

consisted of three sessions per week of exercise for

a duration of about 1 hour.

The resistance exercises consisted of a program free

of any additional weight, while endurance training

included 30 minutes of brisk walking at 70% of

maximum individual Heart Rate (HR) established at

the 6 MWT (six minute walking test) and

corresponding to the self perception of effort up to 6

in the reference scale CR10.

The cardiovascular parameters evaluated were:

- Heart rate and blood pressure at rest;

- Heart rate and respiratory rate during the

6MWT;

- Systolic and Diastolic Blood pressure and

perceived exertion from CR10 scale at the end

of the 6MWT test.

The functional parameters were:

- Sit & Reach for flexibility.

- Hand Grip test to estimate the overall static

strength of the upper limbs.

- Chair Test was used to assess the strength of

the lower limbs.

In addition to the cardiovascular evaluation, the

anthropometrics parameters were included:

- from the data of height and weight was

calculated Body Mass Index (BMI= Body

Mass Index) (FAO, 2001).

- Circumference of waist/hip: for the

measurement of the circumferences was used a

tape metric not extensible, flexible and accurate

(Holtain Limited, 1.5m Flexible Tape). From

these two circumferences was calculated the

Waist to Hip Ratio (WHO, 2008).

- Skinfolds : skinfolds were measured using a

caliper Holtain (Holtain, Limited Tanner/

Whitehouse Skinfold Caliper) (Fidanza F.,

2007). We measured the triceps, biceps,

subscapular and supra-ilium skinfolds. From

the data of the thickness of skinfold was

obtained body composition and, through the

formula of Siri, fat mass and free fat mass

(Durnin J.V, 1974).

- The bioelectrical impedance analysis was used

to assess hydration status and distribution of

body water. The bioelectrical impedance

analysis was performed according to the

recommendations of the NIH Consensus

Statement. The measurements were carried out

on the right side of the body (BIA-101, Akern-

RJL Systems, Florence, Italy) (Kyle U.G.,

2004). The data collect has been processed

with the dedicated software (Bodygram pro

3.0) and the parameters derived were: weight,

height, Body Mass Index (BMI), Phase Angle

(PA), Free Fat Mass (FFM), Fat Mass (FM),

Total Body Water (TBW), Extra Cellular

Water (ECW), Intra Cellular Water (ICW),

Body Cellular Mass (BCM) and Resting

Petri C., Stefani L., Mascherini G., Francini L., Sequi L. and Galanti G..

Beneﬁts of Resistance and Aerobic exercise association to nutritional advice in cancer patients.

 2014 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

Metabolic Rate (RMR).

These examinations were performed at the

beginning (T0) and after 6 months (T6) of exercise

program. Being an home based program, was given

to each subject a food diary and a accelerometer (for

at least 1 week a month) in order to assess the global

lifestyle from PAL and eating habits. (Physical

Activity Level) (F405, Fit.Life Inc., R&DB Center,

Korea).

The food diary was represented by a pre printed

paper in which patients reported, meal by meal, their

food and water daily intake. The food diary was

represented by a pre printed paper in which patients

registered, meal by meal, their food and water intake

for at least 7 days. The T0 food diary reports the

lifestyle of patients before the trial. After T0, were

suggested to patients the necessary corrections on

their own lifestyle on the basis of American Cancer

Society Guidelines. The T6 food diary represents the

improvement assessment.

For the statistical analysis we used the Student t

formula.

3 RESULTS

All parameters are reported in table 1. After 6

months of exercise a significant change for

Subscapular skinfold (P< 0.02), Body density, Fat

Mass and Free Fat Mass (P< 0.03). Bioelectrical

data show an improvement for Total Body Water

(P<0.05). From the 6MWT data, the Peak

Respiratory Rate is significantly reduced (P<0.04).

The functional parameters also showed a significant

improvement of the number of repetitions from the

Chair Test (P< 0.01).

4 DISCUSSION

Both types of exercise and dietary recommendations

were easily accepted in the cancer subjects, leading

to greater adherence to the unsupervised exercise

program of the population survived the neoplastic

disease. The combinations of the two kinds of

exercise, aerobic and resistance, along with

nutritional advice, seems to improve significantly

the main parameters strongly linked with cardio-

vascular risk factors that have a positive effect on

the overall quality of life.

The present study has shown that in cancer survivors

a short period of mixed aerobic and resistance

exercises improves aerobic exercise tolerance and

muscle strength.

As the sample was composed by only 15 women,

further and larger sample studies are needed to

verify any possible additional difference of the data

if the program is used in diverse sequence.

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