Effects of exercise mode and intensity on patient-reported outcomes in cancer survivors: a four-arm intervention trial

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different exercise modes (aerobic, resistance) and intensity prescriptions (standard, polarized, undulating) on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in cancer survivors.

METHODS

107 breast or prostate cancer survivors (52% females, age 58 ± 10 years, 6-52 weeks after primary therapy) performed one out of four training programs, two sessions/week, over 12 weeks: work rate-matched vigorous intensity aerobic training (AT_Standard, n = 28) and polarized intensity aerobic training (AT_Polarized, n = 26) as well as volume-matched moderate intensity resistance training (RT_Standard, n = 26) and daily undulating intensity resistance training (RT_Undulating, n = 27). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL, EORTC-QLQ-C30) and cancer-related fatigue (CRF, MFI-20) were assessed at baseline, at the end of intervention and after a 12-week follow-up without further prescribed exercise.

RESULTS

Over the intervention period, HRQoL-function-scales of the EORTC-QLQ-C30 improved over time (p = .007), but no group*time interaction was observed (p = .185). Similarly, CRF values of the MFI-20 improved over time (p = .006), but no group*time interaction was observed (p = .663). When including the follow-up period and pooling the AT and the RT groups, HRQoL-function-scales developed differently between groups (p = .022) with further improvements in RT and a decline in AT. For CRF no significant interaction was found, but univariate analyses showed a non-significant trend of more sustainable effects in RT.

CONCLUSIONS

AT and RT with different work rate-/volume-matched intensity prescriptions elicits positive effects on HRQoL and CRF, without one regimen being significantly superior to another over the intervention period. However, RT might result in more sustainable effects compared to AT over a follow-up period without any further exercise prescription.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02883699).

Monitoring and assessment of soil quality based on micronutrients and physicochemical characteristics in semi-arid submountainous Shiwalik ranges of lower Himalayas, India

Lower Shiwalik foothill ranges (Kandi regions) are dominated by different land use systems, varying in fertility status due to soil erosion owing to undulating topographical features. For assessment of soil nutrient status of study area, the soil sampling was conducted to investigate the variation in micronutrient status and physicochemical characteristics of soil. Long-range basis soil sampling was carried out in 11 blocks falling in the entire Shiwalik ranges of lower Himalaya under different land use systems (LUSs), viz., agriculture (AG), horticulture (HR), agri-horticulture (AH), grassland (GL), and agroforestry (AF) systems. A total of 440 soil samples were collected from two depths (0-15, 15-30 cm) for analysis. The results had reported that the soils were slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.61 to 8.10) in the whole range. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was found to be varying from very low to very high (2.43 to 10.43 g kg^-1). DTPA-extractable Fe and Mn were found to be in dominant concentrations in the soils whereas, the deficiency of Zn was found under all existing land uses. Interestingly, Fe (r = 0.62*), Cu (r = 0.44), and Mn (r = 0.35) micronutrients were positively correlated with clay content whereas Zn (r = - 0.02) was negatively correlated. Soil quality based on principal component analysis (SQI-PCA) reported clay, SOC, and Zn are major dominating parameters to be considered of soil in Shiwalik ranges.