Effects and tolerability of exercise therapy modality on cardiorespiratory fitness in lung cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Poor cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a cardinal feature of post-treatment primary lung cancer. The most effective exercise therapy regimen to improve CRF has not been determined.

Methods: In this parallel-group factorial randomized controlled trial, lung cancer survivors with poor CRF (below age-sex sedentary values) were randomly allocated to receive 48 consecutive supervised sessions thrice weekly of (i) aerobic training (AT)-cycle ergometry at 55% to >95% of peak oxygen consumption (VO peak); (ii) resistance training (RT)-lower and upper extremity exercises at 50-85% of maximal strength; (iii) combination training (CT)-AT plus RT; or (iv) stretching attention control (AC) for 16 weeks.