The effect of exercise on fatigue in men receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer

The authors aimed to determine the long-term effects of different exercises on fatigue in men with prostate cancer who are receiving hormone therapy.

The authors concluded that different exercises had different but comparable effects on reducing fatigue during hormone therapy.

Hormone therapy is a common treatment used to treat prostate cancer. It targets the male sex hormones active in prostate cancer, such as testosterone. Hormone therapy can cause adverse side effects that impact a patient’s quality of life. This can include chronic fatigue that can impact daily functioning. Exercise has been shown to improve or reduce fatigue following treatment.

Further long-term research is needed to determine the benefit of exercise in reducing fatigue following hormone therapy in men with prostate cancer.

The aim of this study was to determine the benefit of exercise in reducing fatigue in men treated with hormone therapy for prostate cancer.

163 patients were included in this study. Patients were separated into three different exercise groups. Group 1 (58 patients) underwent impact loading (jumping exercises) and resistance training (with weights) targeting the musculoskeletal system. Group 2 (54 patients) underwent aerobic and resistance training targeting the cardiovascular and muscular systems. Group 3 (51 patients) underwent usual care/delayed exercise (a booklet about exercise). Each group carried out their specific exercise for 12 months.

Patients in group 1 experienced noticably reduced fatigue at both 6 months and 12 months. Fatigue in groups 2 and 3 was reduced by at 12 months. Vitality (energy) was increased in all groups at 12 months. Patients who had the highest levels of fatigue and lowest levels of vitality at the start of the study experienced the biggest benefit from exercise.

The authors concluded that different exercises had different effects on reducing fatigue during hormone therapy.