Study of Lung Cancer Patients’ Physical and Mental Strength Underway at Ohio State

When Phillip Morrow was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in November 2019, his life changed pace. Accustomed to being outdoors chopping wood, gardening and maintaining his property, he found that shortness of breath and fatigue left him less able to do the things he enjoyed.

Unfortunately, his cancer had spread to his trachea so it could not be completely removed through surgery. His oncologist recommended a course of chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.

As he started treatment, Phillip agreed to be part of a clinical trial aimed at helping lung cancer patients build resiliency and maintain strength during therapy. The trial involves a combination of exercise interventions and progressive muscle-relaxation exercises.

The 12-week Resiliency in Older Adults Receiving Lung Cancer Treatment Trial (ROAR-LCT) is an interventional study designed to address both the physical and mental health of patients undergoing active treatment for advanced lung cancer — something Carolyn Presley, MD MHS, says is critically important for overall well-being but often overlooked.

“Cancer treatment can be very trying, and staying strong is important for overall healing and mental health,” says Presley, a thoracic medical geriatric oncologist at the OSUCCC – James who serves as principal investigator of the ROAR-LCT trial. “We want to keep people moving as much as possible during therapy to build and maintain the mental and physical resiliency needed to stay strong and complete treatment.”

For this study, resiliency is defined by functional status. Cancer treatments can leave patients fatigued, making it difficult to conduct basic life tasks and impacting overall quality of life. Maintaining resiliency starts with ensuring that patients remain strong enough during treatment to take care of their basic needs: managing medications, mobility and self-care activities such as bathing, dressing and eating.

Patients are given one-one-one strength training sessions guided by a physical therapist that include light exercises — for example, walking on a treadmill and wearing weight bands for stretching and toning. This is combined with progressive muscle-relaxation exercises in which patients are directed to tense and release various muscle groups for deep relaxation.

“Studies have shown that mental and physical health are linked to the immune system function. While our first goal is to eradicate the cancer, it is equally important to address the very real stresses of cancer treatment on a patient’s mental health and well-being,” adds Presley. “By reducing stress and building strength, data suggests we can also improve our patients’ overall quality of life.”

Phillip says the trial helped him both mentally and physically during the early weeks of treatment, and he still uses these tools.

“It helped put me into a different frame of mind and gave me a new outlook on life with cancer,” he says. “Participating in the trial helped me get my strength back and feel better all around. My medical team was clearly there for me — they didn’t act like it was just a job. I appreciated all the support they gave me.”

To learn more about lung cancer treatment or clinical trials at the OSUCCC – James, visit cancer.osu.edu/lung or call 1-800-293-5066.