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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Feb 3;112(3):438-45.
doi: 10.1038/bjc.2014.612. Epub 2014 Dec 9.

Randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness of home-based walking exercise on anxiety, depression and cancer-related symptoms in patients with lung cancer

H-M Chen  1 , C-M Tsai  2 , Y-C Wu  3 , K-C Lin  4 , C-C Lin  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness of home-based walking exercise on anxiety, depression and cancer-related symptoms in patients with lung cancer

H-M Chen et al. Br J Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Although exercise has been addressed as an adjuvant treatment for anxiety, depression and cancer-related symptoms, limited studies have evaluated the effectiveness of exercise in patients with lung cancer.

Methods: We recruited 116 patients from a medical centre in northern Taiwan, and randomly assigned them to either a walking-exercise group (n=58) or a usual-care group (n=58). We conducted a 12-week exercise programme that comprised home-based, moderate-intensity walking for 40 min per day, 3 days per week, and weekly exercise counselling. The outcome measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Taiwanese version of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory.

Results: We analysed the effects of the exercise programme on anxiety, depression and cancer-related symptoms by using a generalised estimating equation method. The exercise group patients exhibited significant improvements in their anxiety levels over time (P=0.009 and 0.006 in the third and sixth months, respectively) and depression (P=0.00006 and 0.004 in the third and sixth months, respectively) than did the usual-care group patients.

Conclusions: The home-based walking exercise programme is a feasible and effective intervention method for managing anxiety and depression in lung cancer survivors and can be considered as an essential component of lung cancer rehabilitation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) diagram showing the flow of participants through the trial.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes in anxiety subscale scores at baseline and at the third and sixth months according to the general linear model.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changes in depression subscale scores at baseline and at the third and sixth months according to the general linear model.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Changes in symptom severity at baseline and at the third and sixth months according to the general linear model.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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