Physical Benefit of Postoperative Exercise Training on Lung Cancer Patients Comorbid with COPD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background : The prognosis of lung cancer is heavily affected by the comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The aim of this trial is to investigate whether postoperative exercise training can improve physical function and lung function of lung cancer patients comorbid with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods : Both groups were given standard postoperative rehabilitation for one week. After that, oxygen therapy (if needed) and nebulization were given to control group, while patients in exercise group started to participate in exercise programs on the basis of receiving oxygen therapy and nebulization as same as in control group. The exercise programs consisted of 24 training sessions. Cardiopulmonary exercise test and 6-minute walk test were used to assess the physical capacity. Data in pulmonary function test like force vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in first second were used to assess the overall lung function. Results : In both groups, the functional status and the result of pulmonary function test decreased from baseline to endpoint. But after surgery and intervention program, both the maximal oxygen consumption in Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test and walking distance in 6-Minute Walk Test in exercise group were significantly better than control group [13.09(±1.46) mL/kg/min vs 11.89(±1.38) mL/kg/min, P=0.033; 297(46) m vs 243(43) m, P=0.041]. FVC and FEV1 in exercise group were better than control group, but the differences didn’t meet statistically significant level [1.76(±0.19) L vs 1.60(±0.28) L, P=0.084; 1.01(±0.17) L vs 0.96(±0.21) L, P=0.467]. Conclusions : Postoperative exercise training program can facilitate recovery of functional capacity of lung cancer patients with comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Postoperative lung function appears superior in patients who participated in exercise training, only fails to reach a statistically meaningful level. Trial registration : Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100042867, Registered 13 May 2021, https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx.