Effect of Exercise on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Among Patients Treated for Ovarian Cancer : A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

This secondary analysis compared the effect of a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention vs attention control for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) among participants in the Women’s Activity and Lifestyle Study in Connecticut trial who received chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

Key Points

Question

What is the effect of exercise on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)?

Findings

In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial of 134 patients with ovarian cancer, the self-reported CIPN score was 1.6 points lower in those who were randomized to the exercise intervention compared with the attention control group, indicating significant improvement in CIPN symptoms.

Meaning

Findings of this secondary analysis suggest that exercise is a promising treatment for CIPN and incorporating exercise program referrals into the standard oncology care may reduce CIPN symptoms and increase quality of life for survivors of ovarian cancer.

Abstract

Importance

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), one of the most common and severe adverse effects of chemotherapy, is associated with worse quality of life among survivors of ovarian cancer. Currently, there is no effective treatment for CIPN.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention vs attention-control on CIPN among women treated for ovarian cancer in the Women’s Activity and Lifestyle Study in Connecticut (WALC) to provide evidence to inform the guidelines and recommendations for prevention or treatment of CIPN.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prespecified secondary analysis evaluated the Women’s Activity and Lifestyle Study in Connecticut (WALC), a multicentered, open-label, population-based, phase 3 randomized clinical trial of an aerobic exercise intervention vs attention control for CIPN in patients who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Only WALC participants who received chemotherapy were included in this analysis. Participants were randomized 1:1 to either a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention or to attention control. All analyses were conducted between September 2022 and January 2023.

Interventions

The exercise intervention consisted of home-based moderate-intensity aerobic exercise facilitated by weekly telephone counseling from an American College of Sports Medicine/American Cancer Society–certified cancer exercise trainer. Attention control involved weekly health education telephone calls from a WALC staff member.

Main Outcomes and Measure

Change in CIPN was the primary outcome in this secondary analysis. This outcome was represented by CIPN severity, which was self-measured by participants at baseline and 6 months using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group–Neurotoxicity scale, with a score range of 0 to 44. A mixed-effects model was used to assess the 6-month change in CIPN between the exercise intervention and attention control arms.

Results

Of the 134 participants (all females; mean [SD] age, 57.5 [8.3] years) included in the analysis, 69 were in the exercise intervention arm and 65 were in the attention control arm. The mean (SD) time since diagnosis was 1.7 (1.0) years. The mean (SD) baseline CIPN scores were 8.1 (5.6) in the exercise intervention arm and 8.8 (7.9) in the attention control arm ( P = .56). At 6 months, the self-reported CIPN score was reduced by 1.3 (95% CI, −2.3 to −0.2) points in the exercise intervention arm compared with an increase of 0.4 (95% CI, −0.8 to 1.5) points in the attention control arm. The between-group difference was −1.6 (95% CI, −3.1 to −0.2) points. The point estimate was larger among the 127 patients with CIPN symptoms at enrollment (−2.0; 95% CI, −3.6 to −0.5 points).

Conclusions and Relevance

Findings of this secondary analysis of the WALC trial indicate that a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention vs attention control significantly improved self-reported CIPN among patients who were treated for ovarian cancer. While replication of the findings in other studies is warranted, incorporating referrals to exercise programs into standard oncology care could reduce CIPN symptoms and increase quality of life in patients with ovarian cancer.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02107066