早期研究表明肿瘤患者通常都期望通过初期治疗，机体可以恢复正常的活动。然而事实上，肿瘤患者接受完治疗后，体力活动已大不如从前如：疲劳感加重、生活质量下降等。
近日，根据《英国医学杂志》刊登的一项调查"Physical activity for cancer survivors: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials"显示，那些接受完初期肿瘤治疗后，积极参与体育锻炼能够提高他们的健康生活水平。
香港大学研究人员开展的这项调查研究评估了锻炼是如何影响癌症患者健康水平的。实验共设成年癌症患者试验组34组，每组平均有93名人员参加，这些人包括前列腺癌患者、乳腺癌患者、肺癌患者、直肠癌患者、妇科癌患者以及胃癌患者，参与者的平均年龄在55岁左右。
在试验周期13周内，各试验组癌症患者需要参加抵抗力训练、力量训练以及需氧训练等。研究人员观察了接受治疗的乳腺癌患者，在参加身体锻炼后身体的健康指数，结果乳腺癌患者的体重、血糖值、下肢力量等生活质量指数都有所提高。而其他类型肿瘤患者在耗氧量、身体健康指数、体重、握力以及生活质量方面均有提高。
此外，锻炼强度的变更以及身体运动活动的种类也影响了癌症患者的健康程度，这些因素在影响锻炼对癌症患者效果上起着至关重要的作用。研究者发现比起单纯的有氧运动而言，提高抵抗力的运动和有氧运动在影响乳腺癌患者的情绪以及身体健康方面影响很大，两者结合对乳腺癌患者和整体健康水平更有效。
另外，研究者发现参加锻炼所带来的效果对于年轻的受试者更加显著明显。但是因为这些结果会在后期的研究中有变化，因此研究结果并不是决定性的。
研究者也表示进行额外的试验是必须的，尤其是要考察必要的活动强度对其他类型癌症患者的影响。(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1136/bmj.e70
PMC:
PMID:
Physical activity for cancer survivors: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Daniel Y T Fong, assistant professor1,Judy W C Ho, consultant surgeon2,Bryant P H Hui, research assistant3,Antoinette M Lee, assistant professor4,Duncan J Macfarlane, associate professor5,Sharron S K Leung, assistant professor1,Ester Cerin, associate professor5,et al.
Objective To systematically evaluate the effects of physical activity in adult patients after completion of main treatment related to cancer.
Design Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials with data extraction and quality assessment performed independently by two researchers.
Data sources Pubmed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar from the earliest possible year to September 2011. References from meta-analyses and reviews.
Study selection Randomised controlled trials that assessed the effects of physical activity in adults who had completed their main cancer treatment, except hormonal treatment.
Results There were 34 randomised controlled trials, of which 22 (65%) focused on patients with breast cancer, and 48 outcomes in our meta-analysis. Twenty two studies assessed aerobic exercise, and four also included resistance or strength training. The median duration of physical activity was 13 weeks (range 3-60 weeks). Most control groups were considered sedentary or were assigned no exercise. Based on studies on patients with breast cancer, physical activity was associated with improvements in insulin-like growth factor-I, bench press, leg press, fatigue, depression, and quality of life. When we combined studies on different types of cancer, we found significant improvements in body mass index (BMI), body weight, peak oxygen consumption, peak power output, distance walked in six minutes, right handgrip strength, and quality of life. Sources of study heterogeneity included age, study quality, study size, and type and duration of physical activity. Publication bias did not alter our conclusions.
Conclusions Physical activity has positive effects on physiology, body composition, physical functions, psychological outcomes, and quality of life in patients after treatment for breast cancer. When patients with cancer other than breast cancer were also included, physical activity was associated with reduced BMI and body weight, increased peak oxygen consumption and peak power output, and improved quality of life.
