Feasibility and Effectiveness of the Exercise Program in Endometrial Cancer; Feasibility and Acceptability Survivorship Trial (EPEC-FAST)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Endometrial cancer has a relatively good prognosis, resulting in a growing number of long-term survivors. Quality of life is an important outcome for cancer survivors. However, many survivors report impaired quality of life due to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. In this trial, we assessed an individualized exercise program for endometrial cancer patients aimed to improve quality of life and other health outcomes including weight and physical fitness. We showed that our individualized one-to-one exercise intervention in endometrial cancer patients is feasible in terms of patient recruitment, execution and safety. The program resulted in significantly improved quality of life, weight and physical fitness of patients. Future studies need to further assess these effects on quality of life and other health outcomes including anthropometrics and survival. ABSTRACT: To evaluate the feasibility of an individualized exercise program in the standard care for endometrial cancer patients aimed to improve quality of life and other health outcomes. This was a single-arm prospective intervention trial to assess the feasibility of an individualized exercise intervention in endometrial cancer patients after treatment. The exercise intervention consisted of weekly individualized training sessions, for 10 weeks, at a local gym facility. The program started six weeks post-operatively. Primary outcomes were feasibility aspects including number of eligible patients, recruitment and adherence rates. Secondary outcomes included quality of life outcomes and anthropometric measures. A total of 54 women were eligible for participation, of which 22 (41%) consented to the study. Overall attendance was 86%, and there were no adverse events. There was a significant improvement in quality of life outcomes, including role (p = 0.02), emotional (p = 0.02) and cognitive functioning (p = 0.04). In addition, there was a significant improvement in visceral fat percentage (p = 0.039) and physical fitness (six-minute walk test p < 0.001). The maximum weight loss achieved was 6.0 kg after 3 months and 8.4 kg after 6 months. An individualized one-to-one exercise intervention in endometrial cancer patients is feasible in terms of recruitment, adherence and safety.