Exercise Behavior, Functional Capacity, and Survival in Adults With Malignant Recurrent Glioma

Abstract

Purpose Identifying strong markers of prognosis are critical to optimize treatment and survival outcomes in patients with malignant recurrent glioma. We investigated the prognostic significance of exercise behavior and functional capacity in this population. Patients and Methods Using a prospective design, 243 patients with WHO grades 3 to 4 recurrent malignant glioma and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥ 70 completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed exercise behavior and performed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) to assess functional capacity. Cox proportional models were used to estimate the risk of all-cause mortality according to 6MWT distance (6MWD; < 390 meters, 390-489 meters, > 489 meters) and exercise behavior (metabolic equivalent [MET] –h/wk) adjusted for KPS and other important clinical factors. Results Median follow-up was 27.43 months. During this period, 149 deaths were recorded (61% of the total sample). Exercise behavior was an independent predictor of survival (P = .0081). M...