This randomized clinical trial studies pulmonary rehabilitation in improving lung function in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer undergoing chemoradiation. Individualized exercise rehabilitation programs may reduce breathing problems and improve quality of life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. It is not yet known whether pulmonary rehabilitation is more effective when started during or after cancer treatment.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine feasibility of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing definite chemotherapy and radiation therapy. II. To measure exercise capacity and respiratory symptoms in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation before and after pulmonary rehabilitation. III. To compare if there are any differences in symptom relief, exercise capacity, and cancer treatment tolerability between performing pulmonary rehabilitation during chemo-radiation versus after completion of lung cancer treatment. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Beginning within 2 weeks of starting chemoradiation, patients undergo an individualized rehabilitation program comprising aerobic exercise and strength training, including treadmill walking, stationary bicycle, NU-Step, upper body resistance training and breathing retraining, 3 times per week for 8 weeks (36 sessions). ARM II: Beginning 1 month after completion of chemoradiation, patients undergo an individualized exercise rehabilitation program as in Arm I.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Undergo pulmonary rehabilitation
Undergo pulmonary rehabilitation
Ancillary studies
Ancillary studies
Percent improvement in the 6 minute walk from prior to post PR
Either a two-sided t-test or a Wilcoxon-rank sum test will be used to test the difference in the improvement of the 6 minute walk depending on the distribution. This test will be used to compare the difference in improvement between PR during chemo-radiation of NSCLC patients and PR 8 weeks post chemo-radiation. Linear regression will be used to estimate which clinical characteristics and patient demographics are associated with improvement in 6 minute walk. The study population will be described using means and standard deviations or medians and the interquartile range.
Time frame: Baseline to up to 8 weeks
Percent improvement in the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score
Time frame: Baseline to up to 8 weeks
Feasibility of the program, based on number of patients attending the sessions throughout the 8 weeks
Either Pearson's chi-square of Fisher's exact methods will be used to test if the feasibility differs across groups. Logistic regression will be used to estimate which clinical characteristics and patient demographics are associated with feasibility.
Time frame: Up to 8 weeks
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