Physical activity in recurrent colon cancer: Cancer and Leukemia Group B/SWOG 80702 (Alliance)

One in three patients with stage III colon cancer will experience tumor recurrence. It is uncertain whether physical activity during and after postoperative chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer improves overall survival after tumor recurrence. A prospective cohort study nested within a randomized multicenter trial of patients initially diagnosed with stage III colon cancer who experienced tumor recurrence (N = 399) was conducted. Postoperative physical activity before tumor recurrence was measured. Physical activity energy expenditure was quantified via metabolic equivalent task hours per week (MET-h/week). The primary end point was overall survival after tumor recurrence. Multivariable flexible parametric survival models estimated relative and absolute effects with two-sided hypothesis tests. Compared with patients expending