Exercise behavior has shown its interest in cancers and may have a prognosis value in brain tumors [1Ruden E., et al. J Clin Oncol 2011 ;

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références]. The aim of this prospective study is to show the effectiveness of a guided personalized rehabilitation-reconditioning program in brain tumors.

Inclusion criteria: patients over 18; complain of fatigue and decrease or interruption of a physical activity; histological diagnosis of brain tumor; Karnofsky Performance Status>60. Exclusion criteria: major neurological or cognitive impairment; cardiac or pulmonary contraindication; high risk of tumor progression.

Patients underwent an incremental, physician-supervised cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) before including the personalized rehabilitation reconditioning program. The program included 5 to 10 individualized sessions, supervised by a physiotherapist; from 30 to 45minutes per session; 1 to 2 times per week; altered or continuous on walking treadmill or bicycle. The endurance phase was calculated depending on results of the CPET. The objectives of the sessions were personalized; the physical therapist gave the patient therapeutic advices to continue physical activity after the reconditioning program, with a written notebook of follow-up for self- sessions provided at home. The primary outcome was a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) [2 Statement: ATS Guidelines for the six-minute walk test Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002 ;

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références].

Nineteen patients, mean aged of 53 years old (standard deviation 14.2) were proposed by the neurologist to follow the program; 11 had high-grade glioma and 8 of them low-grade glioma. Fourteen patients were included; 9 completed the program, 3 are currently following it. At follow up, all patients who had completed the program increased their walking speed from 1.68m/sec (6km/h) to 1.92m/sec (6.9km/h) (p=0.022).

Brain tumor survivors can improve walking function after a personalized and guided rehabilitation reconditioning program. This study is a preliminary study before a controlled study measuring the effects of such a program on quality of life and survey in glioblastoma.