Feasibility of home-based exercise training in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Background Home-based training increases accessibility to exercise and mitigates the side effects of hormone therapy for prostate cancer (PC). However, it is unknown if men with more advanced disease are willing to partake in such interventions. Purpose To determine the feasibility of a home-based exercise intervention in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Methods mCRPC patients on androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSI) were prescribed a 12-week, home-based exercise intervention using resistance bands and walking. Feasibility was assessed using recruitment, retention, adherence, and outcome capture. Physiological changes and patient reported outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention. Results Of the 62 referrals, 47 were eligible with 22 men performing baseline testing (47% recruitment rate) and 16 completing the intervention (73% retention). Task completion was >86% for all physiological tests. Walking adherence was 80% and resistance training was 63%, the latter falling short of the study target (75%). Training increased thigh muscle cross-sectional area by 22%, time to exhaustion by 19% (both p < 0.05) and peak oxygen uptake by 6% ( p = 0.057). Improvements in short physical performance battery scores and 400 m walk demonstrated moderate effect sizes that did not reach significance. Conclusions Home-based exercise is feasible during ARSI treatment for mCRPC. Greater endurance capacity and localized hypertrophy appear as the primary improvements following training. These preliminary findings suggest home-based training may increase exercise accessibility, with important lessons that will inform subsequent trials investigating the efficacy of home-based exercise interventions during mCRPC.