Photo courtesy of Walking for Health/Paul Glendell
Group walk in Epsom, England
Walking for 30 minutes 3 times a week can improve quality of life for patients with advanced cancer, according to research published in BMJ Open.
The study indicated that some patients with advanced cancer may not be able to commit to weekly walks with a group of fellow patients.
However, some patients enjoyed walking in groups, and most reported benefits from regular walks, whether taken alone or with others.
“Findings from this important study show that exercise is valued by, suitable for, and beneficial to people with advanced cancer,” said study author Emma Ream, RN, PhD, of the University of Surrey in the UK.
“Rather than shying away from exercise, people with advanced disease should be encouraged to be more active and incorporate exercise into their daily lives where possible.”
One hundred and ten patients with advanced cancer were eligible to participate in this study, but 49 (47%) declined, primarily because of work commitments. Patients said they could not commit to a weekly walking group.
The 42 patients who did participate in this study were divided into 2 groups.
Group 1 (n=21) received coaching, which included a short motivational interview, as well as the recommendation to walk for at least 30 minutes on alternate days and attend a volunteer-led group walk weekly.
Patients in group 2 (n=21) were encouraged to maintain their current level of activity.
Nineteen participants (45%) withdrew from the study—11 in group 1 and 8 in group 2. In general, patients did not provide reasons for withdrawal. However, 2 patients were too unwell to participate, and 2 patients died during the study.
At 6, 12, and 24 weeks, scores on quality of life questionnaires were not significantly different between groups 1 and 2.
However, in interviews, patients in group 1 said they felt walking provided physical, emotional, and psychological benefits, as well as improvements in social well-being and lifestyle.
At 24 weeks, 8 of 9 participants in group 1 said they found the walking intervention useful, and 7 participants said they were satisfied with it.
Some patients said walking improved their attitude toward their illness and spoke of the social benefits of participating in group walks.
But other patients were dissatisfied with the walking groups. They reported accessibility issues and a dislike of group activities. One younger individual felt the group was more appropriate for older patients.
“This study is a first step towards exploring how walking can help people living with advanced cancer,” said study author Jo Armes, RGN, PhD, of King’s College London in the UK.
“Walking is a free and accessible form of physical activity, and patients reported that it made a real difference to their quality of life. Further research is needed with a larger number of people to provide definitive evidence that walking improves both health outcomes and social and emotional wellbeing in this group of people.”
