A study looking at exercise to improve fitness after chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer

The study team found that a supervised exercise programme after chemoradiotherapy is possible for people with rectal cancer.  

The study recruited 35 people who had chemoradiation before surgery for their rectal cancer.

This was a pilot study. Everyone taking part was put into 1 of 2 groups. Neither they nor their doctor could choose which group they were in.

The research team didn’t know which group the people were in.

There were 22 people in group 1. They had 3 supervised exercise sessions a week for 6 weeks at the hospital.

There were 13 people in group 2. They had standard care only. This meant they had no advice about any sort of exercise to do. They were the control group .

Everyone had a test to find out how well their heart and lungs worked and how fit they were. This is called a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET for short). They had CPET

• 2 weeks before having chemoradiotherapy
• Immediately after chemoradiotherapy then at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks and 14 weeks afterwards

The researchers found that 6 weeks of supervised exercise did increase the physical fitness of people after chemoradiation.

The study team concluded that a supervised exercise programme after chemoradiation was possible. And that such a programme did improve people’s fitness after chemoradiation.   

The research team is now doing a larger study looking at the changes in physical fitness and quality of life of people after 9 weeks exercise following chemoradiation.  

We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed ) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.