Another paper on mediators of effect of exercise interventions among cancer survivors

Earlier this week I reported on a paper that was published in the journal Cancer on research to shed light on mediators of exercise interventions among cancer survivors. Information on mediators helps us to better learn how and why exercise interventions may help cancer survivors to gain better health and quality of life. That study looked at mediators of the resistance and aerobic exercise intervention effect on physical and general health in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Now, in the same week another paper was published, this one in the journal Psycho-Oncology, looking again at mediators of an exercise intervention. This study analyzed data from 209 cancer survivors -more than half breast cancer - to explore significant mediators of effects of exercise on quality of life.
The results showed that the beneficial effect of group-based physical exercise on quality of life of the cancer survivors was mediated by increased physical activity, general self-efficacy and mastery, and subsequent reductions in fatigue and distress. These results indicate that in addition to physical activity, future interventions should target self-efficacy and mastery. This may lead to reduced distress and fatigue, and consequently improved quality of of cancer survivors.

Mediators of exercise intervention effects among cancer patients

In order to better learn how and why exercise interventions may help cancer survivors to gain better health and quality of life, we need more insight in the so-called mediators of the effects of exercise interventions for cancer survivors. The POLARIS study-that I reported here on before- was especially designed for this purpose.
This week an earlier explorative study to shed light on mediators of exercise interventions among cancer survivors was published in the journal Cancer. This study looked at mediators of the resistance and aerobic exercise intervention effect on physical and general health in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.
The exercise intervention was found to significantly improve physical and general health. Upper body muscle strength and walking speed significantly mediated the intervention effect on physical health  accounting for 53% of the total effect. Walking speed and fatigue were found to be mediators of the effect on general health, accounting for 51% of the total effect.