Oncologist recs plus motivation package increases exercise

(HealthDay)—For breast and colorectal cancer survivors, the level of exercise participation is significantly increased for those receiving an oncologist's exercise recommendations with an exercise motivation package, according to a study published online May 12 in Cancer.

Ji-Hye Park, Ph.D., from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues recruited 162 survivors of early-stage breast and colorectal cancer who completed primary and adjuvant treatments. Participants were randomized into three groups: control (59 patients); oncologist's exercise recommendations (53 patients); and oncologist's exercise recommendations with an exercise motivation package (50 patients). The level of exercise participation and quality of life were assessed at baseline and at four weeks.

The researchers found that 80.2 percent of the participants completed the trial. Participants who received an oncologist's exercise recommendation with an exercise motivation package significantly increased their level of exercise participation compared with controls in intention-to-treat analysis (47.57 added minutes per week [P = 0.022] and 4.14 additional Metabolic Equivalent of Task-hours per week [P = 0.004]). No increase in exercise participation level was seen for participants who received only their oncologist's exercise recommendations. Participants who received an oncologist's exercise recommendation with an exercise motivation package had significantly improved role functioning.

"Providing an exercise motivation package in addition to the oncologist's exercise recommendation to increase the level of exercise among survivors of breast and colorectal cancer should be considered," the authors write.