Effects of a Strength Physical Exercise Program in Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment

Juan Luis Sanchez Gonzalez40 enrolled

Overview

Chemotherapy is a crucial treatment in the fight against colon cancer, but unfortunately, its impact is not limited to cancer cells alone. Chemotherapy drugs, designed to attack fast-growing cells, also affect healthy tissues, leading to various side effects. One of the most common adverse effects is peripheral neuropathy, a condition that affects the peripheral nerves and can manifest as tingling sensations, numbness, pain or weakness in the extremities. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy can be especially challenging for colon cancer patients, as it further aggravates quality of life during an already difficult period. Nerves responsible for motor and sensory function are compromised, affecting the patient's ability to perform daily activities and weakening their physical endurance. This phenomenon adds to the emotional and physical burden of fighting cancer. However, there are tools that can positively influence these adverse effects, such as physical exercise. Although it may seem contradictory, regular physical exercise has been shown to have beneficial effects on peripheral neuropathy. Physical exercise can improve blood circulation and promote regeneration of damaged peripheral nerves. In addition, exercise helps to alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with neuropathy, thereby strengthening patients' functional capacity. It is essential to emphasize that any exercise plan must be tailored to the individual capabilities of each patient, and medical supervision is essential. Therefore, the combination of chemotherapy and carefully planned physical exercise offers a comprehensive strategy to address both the disease and its side effects, providing colon cancer patients with a better quality of life during their journey to recovery.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Interventions

ExerciseOTHER

There will be 2 weekly sessions of 50 minutes, always guided by a physiotherapist, with the following distribution: 1.- Warm-up: 15 minutes of global exercises of strength and resistance, focusing on the areas that are going to be worked as a priority in that session. Strength training: 6 to 8 strength exercises of large muscle groups. The approximate duration will be 25 minutes. 3.- Cool down / cool down: Combination of breathing exercises and stretching, 10 minutes. Monitoring with activity bracelets.

Physical activity recommendationsOTHER

They will be provided with a physical activity plan to be followed on a weekly basis.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 85 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * People diagnosed with colorectal cancer and who are receiving chemotherapy treatment. * Sedentary people who have not performed physical activity in the last 8 weeks. * Ability to understand the evaluation tests and the performance of the exercises. * Presence of XXX symptoms (If we focus on neuropathy, it should be inclusion criteria). * Voluntary participation in the study. Exclusion Criteria: \- Present contraindication/s for physical exercise (musculoskeletal diseases, severe cardiovascular disease, bone metastases,...).

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy

The EORTC CIPN20 questionnaire will be used.This questionnaire contains 20 items on which patients rate their experience for each symptom during the previous week using scores from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much). The sum score was obtained by adding the scores of items 1 to 19 resulting in a sum score range of 19 to 76, which was termed CIPN20 sum1-19. Item 20 rates male impotence