Feasibility of supervised telehealth exercise for patients with advanced melanoma receiving checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Abstract

Abstract Purpose To determine the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of a telehealth supervised exercise programme in patients with advanced melanoma receiving checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Methods A 8‐week non‐randomised feasibility pilot trial utilising a telehealth delivered multimodal exercise programme undertaken thrice weekly with assessments at baseline and post‐intervention. The study was considered feasible if there were no severe or life‐threatening adverse events as a result of exercise, and three or more of the following criteria were met: the recruitment rate was >50%, completion rate was >80%, median programme attendance was >75%, median exercise compliance >75%, and average tolerance was >70%. Preliminary efficacy was assessed for objective measures of physical function (2‐min step test, repeated chair stand test, 30‐s push‐up test, and a modified static balance test) and quality of life (QoL), fatigue and other patient‐reported outcomes were assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30. Results Eleven patients (32–80 years) were included in the study (6 female, 5 male). The recruitment rate was 48%, completion rate 91%, programme attendance 88%, median exercise compliance 82.1% and 84.9% for resistance and aerobic exercise, respectively, and tolerance 88%, with no severe or life‐threatening adverse events as a result of exercise. In terms of preliminary efficacy, physical function significantly improved while QoL was maintained following the intervention. Conclusion An 8‐week telehealth exercise intervention is feasible and safe for patients with advanced melanoma and appears to improve physical function while preserving QoL during checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Keywords

• exercise
• health‐related outcomes
• immunotherapy
• melanoma
• quality of life
• telehealth