Exercise prehabilitation before definitive chemoradiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients resulted in a significantly greater six-minute walk distance and better preservation of health-related quality of life compared with usual care.
Exercise prehabilitation resulted in significantly greater pre-treatment six-minute walk distance compared to usual care.
Exercise prehabilitation significantly improved lower-limb functionality compared to usual care.
Exercise prehabilitation was associated with better preservation of health-related quality of life as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 summary score.
Exercise prehabilitation was associated with better preservation of social functioning and body image during the pre-treatment period.
Patients with head and neck cancer scheduled for definitive chemoradiotherapy often experience early functional decline and deterioration in health-related quality of life even before treatment initiation.
The FIT4TREAT trial was a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio.
This research suggests that for people diagnosed with head and neck cancer who are about to undergo a combined chemotherapy and radiation treatment (chemoradiotherapy), starting a supervised exercise program before treatment begins can meaningfully improve their physical fitness and quality of life. The FIT4TREAT trial enrolled 47 patients and randomly assigned them to either a structured exercise program—combining aerobic and resistance training three times per week—or standard care while they waited to begin radiation therapy. The exercise group walked about 29 meters farther in a six-minute walking test by the time treatment started, a statistically significant improvement that reflects real gains in physical capacity. Beyond fitness, the exercise group also showed better leg strength and function, and they maintained higher scores on measures of overall quality of life, social functioning, and body image compared to those who received usual care. This matters because patients with head and neck cancer commonly experience physical and emotional decline even before their treatment starts, and this pre-treatment window has historically received little attention as an opportunity to intervene. This research suggests that integrating a supervised exercise program into routine care for head and neck cancer patients during the waiting period before chemoradiotherapy could help them arrive at treatment in better physical and psychological condition. The authors conclude that their findings support the potential for exercise prehabilitation to become a standard part of oncology care for this patient population, though further research in larger, multi-center studies would help confirm and extend these findings.
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Upload Your LabsGarcia C, Leão I, Pinto D, Rato N, Campolargo A, Dias I, et al.. (2026). Exercise prehabilitation in head and neck cancer patients proposed for definitive chemoradiotherapy: The FIT4TREAT randomized controlled trial.. Oral oncology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2026.108119