ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Progressive, incurable cancer is associated with increased fatigue, increased muscle weakness, and reduced physical functioning, all of which negatively impact quality of life. Physical activity has demonstrated benefits on cancer-related fatigue and physical functioning in early-stage cancer patients; however, its impact on these outcomes in end-stage cancer has not been established. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the potential benefits, harms, and effects of physical activity interventions on quality of life outcomes in advanced cancer patients. METHODS/DESIGN: A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on physical activity in advanced cancer patients will be undertaken. Empirical quantitative studies will be considered for inclusion if they present interventional or observational data on physical activity in advanced cancer patients. Searches will be conducted in the following electronic databases: CINAHL; CIRRIE Database of International Rehabilitation Research; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR); Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); EMBASE; MEDLINE; PEDro: the Physiotherapy Evidence Database; PQDT; PsycInfo; PubMed; REHABDATA; Scopus; SPORTDiscus; and Web of Science, to identify relevant studies of interest. Additional strategies to identify relevant studies will include citation searches and evaluation of reference lists of included articles. Titles, abstracts, and keywords of identified studies from the search strategies will be screened for inclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers will conduct quality appraisal using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (EPHPP) and the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A descriptive summary of included studies will describe the study designs, participant and activity characteristics, and objective and patient-reported outcomes. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will summarize the current evidence base on physical activity interventions in advanced cancer patients. The findings from this systematic review will identify gaps to be explored by future research studies and inform future practice guideline development of physical activity interventions in advanced cancer patients. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42015026281.
Subject(s)
Exercise Therapy/methods , Fatigue/rehabilitation , Motor Activity , Neoplasms/rehabilitation , Palliative Care/methods , Quality of Life , Terminal Care/methods , Fatigue/etiology , Humans , Neoplasms/complications , Neoplasms/pathology , Systematic Reviews as TopicABSTRACT
GOALS OF WORK: Acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into designated acupuncture points to aid in the treatment of symptoms and to improve health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was conducted in a tertiary palliative care unit where 50 patients with advanced cancer were surveyed to determine their understanding of, use of, and interest in acupuncture. MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-seven (54%) patients provided an accurate understanding of acupuncture. Although only 30% of patients had previously used acupuncture to treat noncancer medical conditions and only 10% had used it for cancer related symptoms, 80% of patients were interested in seeing an acupuncture practitioner on the care unit if one was made available. CONCLUSIONS: Although few advanced cancer patients on a tertiary palliative care unit had previously received acupuncture, many had a general understanding of this complementary therapy, and expressed an interest in seeing an acupuncture practitioner.
