Abstract
Study aim
The aim of this study is to determine the physical activity levels of patients undergoing active cancer treatment and to examine the relationship between physical activity and quality of life.
Material and methods
A total of 213 cancer patients (112 females and 101 males: mean age = 58.7 ± 12.5 years) voluntarily participated in the study. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, while quality of life was measured with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Demographic and medical data were collected via a Personal Information Form developed by the researchers.
Results
The overall mean physical activity score was 739.6 ± 983.5 MET min/week, indicating a generally low activity level. Significant differences were observed across cancer types (p < 0.05), with prostate cancer patients showing the highest physical (77.1 ± 24.6), emotional (86.3 ± 23.3), and global health status (72.0 ± 35.2) scores. A moderate positive correlation was found between total physical activity and global health status (r = 0.39, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
During active cancer treatment, most patients demonstrated low levels of physical activity, which were closely associated with poorer health-related quality of life, particularly in the physical, emotional, and global health domains. These findings underscore the importance of integrating structured physical activity into comprehensive cancer care, particularly for patients with lung and other non-prostate cancers who appear most susceptible to inactivity-related declines in quality of life. During active cancer treatment, further prospective and interventional studies are needed to better understand the relationship between physical activity and quality of life in these patients.