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CORRELATION BETWEEN BLOOD LACTATE ACCUMULATION AND PERCEIVED EXERTION IN CANCER PATIENTS DURING PROGRESSIVE EXERCISE TESTING

Abstract

N. McCarty2, N. Harman1, A. Ramani1, R. Hayward1

1University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO; 2University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

Cancer cells display a dysfunctional metabolic profile when compared to healthy cells, characterized by increased rates of glycolysis and subsequent lactate production and accumulation. Blood lactate accumulation in healthy populations during an acute, progressive exercise assessment has been thoroughly investigated, but is poorly defined in the cancer population. Furthermore, to date, no studies have identified the relationship between a cancer patient’s lactate accumulation and their rating of perceived exertion during and following an acute, progressive exercise assessment. PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and blood lactate accumulation (BLA) in cancer patients during incremental treadmill exercise to volitional exhaustion. METHODS: Seventy-six cancer survivors were recruited from the University of Northern Colorado Cancer Rehabilitation Institute (UNCCRI). All participants completed an initial assessment which included performance of the UNCCRI Treadmill Protocol, a graded treadmill protocol to volitional exhaustion. BLA was quantified at rest and following the termination of the graded exercise test. RPE was assessed using the Modified Borg scale at rest and upon termination of exercise. T-tests were used to compare resting and termination values for BLA and RPE. A Pearson's correlation was used to assess the relationship between the change in BLA and the change in RPE from rest to the termination of exercise. RESULTS: Significant increases from rest to termination of exercise occurred for BLA (Resting: 1.79 ± 0.96 mmol/L, Termination: 5.99 ± 2.55 mmol/L; p < 0.001) and RPE (Resting: 1.89 ± 0.85, Termination: 8.23 ± 1.62; p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was observed for the change in BLA and RPE (r = 0.39; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The current study shows a positive correlation of BLA and RPE during an acute bout of exercise to volitional fatigue in cancer patients, regardless of cancer-specific factors, such as treatment and fatigue. Therefore, it appears as though the exercise response in the cancer population is similar to the generally healthy population in both physiological response and subjective perception of exertion during progressive exercise testing.

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