Patients with lung cancer frequently suffer from physical deconditioning, low exercise capacity, and reduced quality of life. There is little evidence on the effects of a structured outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program (OPR) on exercise capacity and symptom load in these patients. We performed a retrospective, single-center analysis of surgically resected lung cancer patients, who underwent a multiprofessional 6-week OPR. The primary endpoint was a change in the six-minute walk test distance (6 MWT). Secondary endpoints included changes in maximal workload and constant work-rate test results during cycle-ergometry, upper and lower extremity strength, and inspiratory muscle strength. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) was used to assess symptom burden. Fifty-seven patients were included. Of those, fifty-two (91.2%) completed the full 6 weeks of OPR. The mean age was 56.4 (SD 9.2) years, and 58% were female. At completion of OPR, there was a statistically significant mean of a 50 m (95% CI, 29.6−70.7; p < 0.001) increase in 6 MWT. Significant improvements were also seen in all other exercise and strength tests (p < 0.001), accompanied by a significant reduction in the CAT score (mean difference −3.1, p = 0.001). No adverse effects were reported. OPR for surgically resected lung cancer patients was safe and effective and showed high adherence in the current study.
Keywords: NSCLC; exercise tolerance; lung cancer; outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation; real-world data; six-minute walk test.