PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to correlate physiological adaptations caused by physical activity and levels of fatigue in cancer patients. METHODS: Twenty-seven cancer patients (56.67 ± 14.82 years old) who have been treated with chemotherapy, radiation or the combination of both treatments, were voluntary for this study. All patients were submitted to pre-exercise and post-exercise physical assessment. During the physical assessment a questionnaire measuring levels of fatigue was applied (Piper et al. 1989). All independent variables (physiological adaptations) were standardized (Z scores). According to the multiple regression linear models, all variables were analyzed simultaneously. RESULTS: The results did not show any significant (p < 0.05) relationship between reduction in fatigue and improvement in physical fitness (r2 = 0.102). The multiple linear regression analysis and the simple correlation results were not significant. CONCLUSION: Although there was no significant correlation between improvement in physical fitness and reduction of fatigue, the relationship between fatigue and physical fitness was linear and positive.
Aerobic exercise; Resistance training; Cancer treatment
