Speaker
Description
Introduction
Metabolic dysfunction is a key driver of Endometrial cancer (EC), and contributes to disproportionately high rates of cardiometabolic disease, cardiovascular mortality, EC recurrence, and a two-fold reduction in overall survival after EC. Exercise imparts physiological adaptations including improved cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), body composition, and glucose handling that would be advantageous after EC. Yet, EC is underrepresented in exercise oncology research. Thus, the potential risk-mitigating effects of exercise and the biological mechanisms underlying these remain unclear.
Aim
This sub-study of the ACUMEN clinical trial (ACTRN12621000050853) investigated the effect of a targeted exercise intervention on CRF, physical health, and quality of life (QoL) after EC.
Methods
Women ≤5 years post-EC were randomised to a 12-week supervised aerobic and resistance training intervention (EX) or non-exercise control (CON). Primary outcome CRF (VO2peak) determined via cycling VO2max test and secondary outcomes related to physical function and psychosocial wellbeing were assessed at baseline, 12-weeks, and 24-weeks.
Results
Seventy-eight women post-EC (58.8±12.6 years, 32.5±7.6kg/m2) were randomised (EX=35; CON=43). EX participants attended 16.0±3.6 (Mean±SD) of 18 sessions. Despite high attendance, only 48% and 52% were compliant with target aerobic and resistance training intensities, respectively. No significant improvements in CRF were observed within the EX group (adjusted mean difference = 1.04ml/kg/min; 95%CI= -0.79, 2.86; p=0.26) and there was no difference in CRF between EX and CON at 12-weeks (0.68ml/kg/min; 95%CI= -1.24, 2.61; p=0.48). No intervention effect was observed for muscular strength or physical function (p<0.05).
Conclusions
Exercise prescribed in line with current exercise oncology guidelines did not elicit improvements in CRF among women treated for EC. These findings highlight the need to tailor intervention design and exercise prescription to the EC cohort to optimise exercise compliance and efficacy, and to individualise testing protocols (such as VO2max modality and workload progressions) for maximum data fidelity and sensitivity to change.
Keywords
Endometrial cancer; Exercise oncology; Cardiorespiratory fitness; Survivorship
| Abstract submitters declaration | yes |
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| Conflict of Interest & Ethical Approval | yes |
