Characteristics of Exercise Attendance in Patients With an Advanced Cancer Diagnosis – Retrospective Observational Study

PurposePatients living with an advanced cancer diagnosis experience worsening symptom burden, functional decline, and a decrease in quality of life. Although evidence supports exercise as an effective intervention for cancer-related adverse effects, most patients with an advanced cancer diagnosis do not meet the physical activity guidelines. This study aims to describe the characteristics of patients with an advanced cancer diagnosis who participated in an urban supervised exercise oncology program and identify predictors of exercise attendance in a real-world setting.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study using available data from participants with a stage IV cancer diagnosis who attended the Exercise and Cancer Integrative Therapy Education Program (ExCITE), at Henry Ford Health, in Detroit, Michigan. We compared patients who participated regularly in exercise (8 or more visits) vs those who attended 7 visits or less within the first 2 months. Student's t-test and Fisher's Exact test were used to compare groups at baseline for continuous and nominal data.ResultsBetween 2021 and 2024, 36 patients undergoing maintenance cancer treatment with various diagnoses attended the ExCITE program. Of these, 18 were classified as high attendance to exercise. Those classified as high attendance were more likely to be older, Black, and score higher in function and quality of life.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate the feasibility and safety of a supervised exercise program for patients with an advanced cancer diagnosis in an urban setting. These findings highlight the need for accessible exercise programs in an urban population not well described in the literature.