Efficacy of an exercise oncology program on sleep quality and circadian rhythm in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemo-radiation therapy: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) presents a significant challenge in oncology. It has high prevalence rates, especially in India, where 30-40% of cancer cases are attributed to HNC. While chemotherapy and radiation therapy are essential components of treatment, they often lead to significant sleep disturbances that negatively impact patients' quality of life and the effectiveness of their treatment. These sleep disturbances are frequently associated with disruptions in the circadian rhythm, which are commonly seen in cancer survivors. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an exercise oncology program on sleep quality and circadian rhythm in patients with HNC undergoing chemo-radiation therapy.
Methods: Patients with HNC (stage III, IVa, or IVb) undergoing chemo-radiation therapy, aged 18 years or above, of any gender, and with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score < 2 were included. Patients with severe orthopedic or neurological conditions, hemoglobin < 8 g/dL, platelet count < 30,000/µL, or unfit for exercise were excluded. Seventy HNC patients were randomized to exercise oncology and control group. The exercise oncology group received 15-20-minute sessions of aerobic (brisk walking) and resistance training (upper and lower limb exercises). Participants in the control group were asked to follow the walking protocol recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, five days a week for seven weeks. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
Read the paper
Related studies
- eggNOG 5.0: a hierarchical, functionally and phylogenetically annotated orthology resource based on 5090 organisms and 2502 viruses
- Online Survival Analysis Software to Assess the Prognostic Value of Biomarkers Using Transcriptomic Data in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
- OptiType: precision HLA typing from next-generation sequencing data
- Nicotinic Cholinergic System and COVID-19: In Silico Identification of an Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and Nicotinic Receptors with Potential Therapeutic Targeting Implications
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells have three Omega class glutathione S-transferases acting as 1-Cys thiol transferases
- Hemolysis at low blood flow rates: in-vitro and in-silico evaluation of a centrifugal blood pump
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.