The safety, feasibility, and efficacy of an 18-week exercise intervention for adults with primary brain cancer - the BRACE study

PurposeTo determine the safety, feasibility, and potential effect of an 18-week exercise intervention for adults with primary brain cancer.Materials and methodsEligible patients were 12-26-weeks post-radiotherapy for brain cancer. The individually-prescribed weekly exercise was >= 150-minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, including two resistance-training sessions. The intervention was deemed "safe" if exercise-related, serious adverse events (SAE) were experienced by <10% of participants, and feasible if recruitment, retention, and adherence rates were >= 75%, and >= 75% compliance rates were achieved in >= 75% of weeks. Patient-reported and objectively-measured outcomes were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, end-intervention, and 6-month follow-up, using generalized estimating equations.ResultsTwelve participants enrolled (51 +/- 19.5 years, 5 females). There were no exercise-related SAEs. The intervention was feasible (recruitment:80%, retention:92%, adherence:83%). Participants completed a median of 172.8 (min:77.5, max:560.8) minutes of physical activity per week. 17% met the compliance outcome threshold for >= 75% of the intervention. Improvements in quality of life (mean change (95% CI): 7.9 units (1.9, 13.8)), functional well-being (4.3 units (1.4, 7.2)), depression (-2.0 units (-3.8, -0.2)), activity (112.8 min (42.1, 183.4)), fitness (56.4 meters (20.4, 92.5)), balance (4.9 s (0.9, 9.0)), and lower-body strength (15.2 kg (9.3, 21.1)) were observed end-intervention.ConclusionPreliminary evidence support that exercise is safe and beneficial to the quality of life and functional outcomes for people with brain cancer.Registration: ACTRN12617001577303