Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation After Cancer Pulmonis Operation

Patients who are radically operated for pulmonary cancer report suffering from respiratory problems, mostly dyspnoea, 5 years after operation. Dyspnoea restricts their physical capability and leads to poorer physical, social and mental wellbeing. The effects of training programs on physical and mental wellbeing for cancer patients are well documented. Most of the studies are though performed on patients suffering from breast, colon and prostate cancer. There are only few studies addressing patients with pulmonary cancer. They are mostly focused on short term effects of exercise training on quality of life, with no control group included in the trials. These studies target patients after different forms for treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. There is no data referring to quality of life of patients who are radically operated for pulmonary cancer.

Comparison: multidisciplinary group intervention consisting of exercise training and dyspnoea counseling, 10 times, once a week, compared with one instruction in exercise training and dyspnoea counseling. Exercise training is given by a physiotherapist. Both groups receive in addition standard treatment, which is up to 3 counseling sessions with a nurse.

Inclusion criteria

• patients who are radically operated for pulmonary cancer at Aalbor Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital

Exclusion criteria

• not radically operated
• cannot speak and read Danish
• cannot cooperate in tests due to poor mental health
• patients who undergo rehabilitation at other centres
• cannot perform walking test due to physical impairment