Exercise programs should be initiated more widely among established androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) users, argue the results of a new study by researchers at the University of Toronto. In addition, their study highlights the importance of further investigation into whether initiating exercise at the same time as that of ADT can reverse or prevent the negative physical outcomes often associated with ADT.
In a prospective longitudinal study, 87 men with prostate cancer on ADT, 86 men with prostate cancer not on ADT, and 86 healthy men were evaluated for physical function. Objective assessment included the 6-minute walk test, grip strength test, and the timed up-and-go test. Self-reported data consisted of quality-of-life measurement with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form. The three groups were matched for age, education, and baseline physical function.
Patients in the ADT group showed no gain in distance during the 6-minute walk test (P = .96), a measure that improved in the other two groups (P <.05). Grip strength declined (P = .04), remained stable, and improved for the ADT group (P = .31), the non-ADT group, and the healthy control group (P = .008), respectively. The time measured for the up-and-down test remained the same for all groups (P >.10). Quality-of-life scores declined in the ADT group (P <.001) and increased in the other two groups (P <.001).
Because these physical outcomes appeared within 3 months of beginning ADT, the researchers concluded that upfront exercise intervention is justified to help prevent negative sequelae.