PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Lara Edbrooke
AU  - Sanchia Aranda
AU  - Catherine L Granger
AU  - Christine F McDonald
AU  - Mei Krishnasamy
AU  - Linda Mileshkin
AU  - Ross A Clark
AU  - Ian Gordon
AU  - Louis Irving
AU  - Linda Denehy
TI  - Multidisciplinary home-based rehabilitation in inoperable lung cancer: a randomised controlled trial
AID  - 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212996
DP  - 2019 Aug 01
TA  - Thorax
PG  - 787--796
VI  - 74
IP  - 8
4099  - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/74/8/787.short
4100  - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/74/8/787.full
SO  - Thorax2019 Aug 01; 74
AB  - Background Lung cancer is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and high symptom burden. This trial aimed to assess the efficacy of home-based rehabilitation versus usual care in inoperable lung cancer.Methods A parallel-group, assessor-blinded, allocation-concealed, randomised controlled trial. Eligible participants were allocated (1:1) to usual care (UC) plus 8 weeks of aerobic and resistance exercise with behaviour change strategies and symptom support (intervention group (IG)) or UC alone. Assessments occurred at baseline, 9 weeks and 6 months. The primary outcome, change in between-group 6 min walk distance (6MWD), was analysed using intention-to-treat (ITT). Subsequent analyses involved modified ITT (mITT) and included participants with at least one follow-up outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included HRQoL and symptoms.Results Ninety-two participants were recruited. Characteristics of participants (UC=47, IG=45): mean (SD) age 64 (12) years; men 55%; disease stage n (%) III=35 (38) and IV=48 (52); radical treatment 46%. There were no significant between-group differences for the 6MWD (n=92) at 9 weeks (p=0.308) or 6 months (p=0.979). The mITT analyses of 6MWD between-group differences were again non-significant (mean difference (95% CI): 9 weeks: −25.4 m (−64.0 to 13.3), p=0.198 and 6 months: 41.3 m (−26.7 to 109.4), p=0.232). Significant 6-month differences, favouring the IG, were found for HRQoL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Lung: 13.0 (3.9 to 22.1), p=0.005) and symptom severity (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory–Lung Cancer: −2.2 (−3.6 to –0.9), p=0.001).Conclusions Home-based rehabilitation did not improve functional exercise capacity but there were improvements in patient-reported exploratory secondary outcomes measures observed at 6 months.Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614001268639).