Age and androgen-deprivation therapy on exercise outcomes in men with prostate cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of age (≤65 years or >65 years) and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT, presence or absence) as factors that may predict changes in body composition and fitness following a 24-week exercise program in prostate cancer patients. Methods: One hundred twenty-one men were randomly allocated to either: (1) aerobic exercise (AE), (2) resistance exercise (RE), or (3) usual care (UC). Body composition was assessed by DXA. Aerobic fitness was assessed through a maximal treadmill test. Muscular strength was assessed by leg extension and bench press using the eight-repetition maximum test. Responses were compared between younger (≤65 years) and older (>65 years) patients with or without ADT. Results: There did not appear to be an interaction between age and ADT on body composition or fitness, nor were there any significant changes in body composition for participants ≤65 years. In participants aged >65 years, lean mass decreased in AE ( p = 0.013) and UC ( p = 0.006), but was preserved in RE. In participants receiving ADT, there was a decrease in lean mass in AE ( p = 0.003) and UC ( p < 0.001) but not in RE. The non-ADT group did not show any changes in body composition but did show improvements in muscular fitness following resistance training ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Changes in body composition and physical fitness following a 24-week exercise program in men with prostate cancer are not influenced by age and/or ADT. Resistance training appears to attenuate the age-related decrease in lean mass and increase in body fat in older patients with prostate cancer and those receiving ADT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]