PMID 26869680

Research
All papers

A 3-week multimodal intervention involving high-intensity interval training in female cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial

Schmitt J, Lindner N, Reuss-Borst M, Holmberg HC, Sperlich B

Question

Can an 8-session high-intensity interval walking program be safely integrated into multimodal cancer rehabilitation, and how does it compare with lower-intensity moderate exercise for fitness, body composition, activity, fatigue, and quality of life?

Summary

In a 3-week inpatient multimodal rehabilitation program for female cancer survivors, high-intensity uphill walking intervals were feasible and had no reported negative side effects. Compared with lower-intensity moderate exercise, HIIT produced similar quality-of-life and fatigue improvements and greater improvement in walking economy, while peak VO2 improved only in the moderate-exercise group.

Methodology

  • Female cancer survivors after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, most with breast cancer, aged under 70 years, BMI 17-35, and without contraindications to maximal testing or training. The article reports 28 randomized in the abstract and 26 analyzed in the methods/tables.
  • 26 participants.
  • Outdoor uphill walking.
  • Work intervals: 8 x 1 min intense walking.
  • Recovery: 2 min slow walking.
  • Intensity: Work intervals above 95% of treadmill-test HRpeak after warm-up at 70% HRpeak.
  • About 29 min including 5 min warm-up.
  • 3 sessions/week, 8 sessions total.
  • 3 weeks.
  • Single-center two-arm randomized controlled trial embedded in multimodal rehabilitation
  • VO2peak, Walking economy, DXA body composition, and Free-living energy expenditure and steps were tracked.

Outcomes

Feasibility

Both groups completed 93% of prescribed sessions; no session was terminated and no negative side effects were reported.

Improved

Peak VO2

Peak VO2 improved after lower/moderate-intensity exercise but not after HIIT.

Mixed

Walking economy

Submaximal walking economy improved more after HIIT than after lower/moderate-intensity exercise.

Improved

Fatigue

HIIT improved multiple fatigue scales, including general, physical, mental, activity, and motivation dimensions.

Improved

Body composition

HIIT reduced total fat mass within group, while between-group body-composition differences were not significant.

Mixed

Insights

  • Short uphill walking intervals can be feasible in medically screened female cancer survivors during supervised rehabilitation.
  • A HIIT option may reduce endurance-exercise time while preserving some rehabilitation benefits.
  • Clinical users require screening, supervision, and individualized HR targets before high-intensity work.

Limitations

  • Small sample size.
  • Short 3-week intervention.
  • Multimodal rehabilitation makes it difficult to isolate exercise effects.
  • Baseline fatigue differed between groups.
  • SenseWear may underestimate high-intensity energy expenditure.
  • The article is inconsistent about the randomized/analyzed sample count.

Safety

  • No negative side effects occurred and no training session was terminated. The study excluded several medical contraindications.