Effects of a Strength Physical Exercise Program in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients

Summary

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a hematological neoplasm that primarily affects older individuals and is the most common type of leukemia in adults in Western countries. CLL mainly affects older adults, with an average age at diagnosis of around 70 years, and there is a slightly higher risk in men compared to women. It is characterized by the proliferation of clonal B lymphocytes in peripheral blood, bone marrow, and lymphoid organs. Although CLL has a relatively slow progression in many cases, patients may experience chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, functional impairment, and psychological disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which significantly affect their quality of life.

In this context, it has been shown that physical exercise, especially strength training, can considerably improve physical and psychological conditions in oncology populations, such as those with breast cancer and colorectal cancer, as well as in older adults, where the benefits of resistance training are widely recognized. These benefits include increased muscle strength, reduced fatigue, improved functional abilities, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life. Furthermore, there is evidence that exercise can reduce systemic inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), and improve lipid profiles by lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides, which is crucial for cancer patients at risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Conditions

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• Exercise

Interventions

OTHER

Exercise

Supervised strength exercise sessions: There will be two sessions per week, each lasting 50 minutes. Each session will consist of three distinct parts: Warm-up: 10 minutes of global strength and aerobic exercises at 6/10 on the Rating Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale. Strength training: 6 strength exercises targeting the major muscle groups, lasting 30 minutes. The initial load will be set at 70% of the estimated 1-RM (assessed in the first session and based on the individual patient). When the participant is able to complete 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the established weight in two consecutive sessions, the weight will be increased by 10%. The exercises will be performed in a circuit format with 30 seconds of rest between exercises and 90 seconds of rest between sets. Cool-down/stretching: 10 minutes of a combination of breathing exercises and stretching for the major muscle groups. Promotion of physical activity: Participants

OTHER

Home exercise

Participants will complete three weekly home training sessions that will not coincide with supervised training days. Each session will last 20 minutes, they will complete two sets of five exercises, with one minute of work and one minute of rest.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Colegio Profesional de Fisioterapeutas de Castilla y León

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Salamanca

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Carlos Martin Sanchez, PhD · University of Salamanca

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-10

Primary Completion

2025-12-31

Completion

2025-12-31