Short-term pre-operative high-intensity interval training does not improve fitness of colorectal cancer patients

Catherine L Boereboom, James E M Blackwell, John P Williams, Bethan E Phillips, Jonathan N Lund, Catherine L Boereboom, James E M Blackwell, John P Williams, Bethan E Phillips, Jonathan N Lund

Abstract

Background: Pre-operative cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients has been shown to affect post-operative outcomes. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving fitness in pre-operative CRC patients within the 31-day cancer waiting-time targets imposed in the UK.

Methods: Eighteen CRC patients (13 males, mean age: 67 years (range: 52-77 years) participated in supervised HIIT on cycle ergometers 3 or 4 times each week prior to surgery. Exercise intensity during 5 × 1-minute HIIT intervals (interspersed with 90-second recovery) was 100%-120% maximum wattage achieved at a baseline cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). CPET before and after HIIT was used to assess CRF.

Results: Patients completed a mean of eight HIIT sessions (range 6-14) over 19 days (SD 7). There was no significant increase in VO2 peak (23.9 ± 7.0 vs 24.2 ± 7.8 mL/kg/min (mean ± SD), P = 0.58) or anaerobic threshold (AT: 14.0 ± 3.4 vs 14.5 ± 4.5 mL/kg/min, P = 0.50) after HIIT. There was a significant reduction in resting systolic blood pressure (152 ± 19 vs 142 ± 19 mm Hg, P = 0.0005) and heart rate at submaximal exercise intensities after HIIT.

Conclusions: Our pragmatic HIIT exercise protocol did not improve the pre-operative fitness of CRC patients within the 31-day window available in the UK to meet cancer surgical waiting-time targets.

Keywords: colorectal neoplasms; exercise; pre-operative therapy; surgery.

© 2019 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of patients approached to take part in the study. Abbreviations: CPET, cardiopulmonary exercise test; HIIT, high‐intensity interval training; MDT, multidisciplinary team meeting. *Prior to a minor ethics amendment which increased the upper age limit from 75 to 98 y
Figure 2
Figure 2
Individual changes in peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) in colorectal cancer patients (n = 18) after high‐intensity interval training
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) time to failure and wattage at failure before (baseline) and after (reassessment) high‐intensity interval training in pre‐operative colorectal cancer patients (N = 18). Analysis was performed by paired Student's t test; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01

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Source: PubMed

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