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.