Table 3 Physical fitness, health-related quality of life (questionnaires) and physical activity pre- and post-neoadjuvant cancer treatment

Primary outcome: VO₂ at AT (ml kg⁻¹ min⁻¹)

12.6 (3.3), 28

11.2 (3),28

1.3 (0.4, 2.3)

0.008^a *

 Global health status

70.4 (16.2), 27

63.7 (16.2),28

7.1 (0.8, 13.5)

0.030^a *

 Physical functioning

93.3 (80.0, 100.0), 27

86.7 (73.3, 100).28

0.119^b

 Emotional functioning

83.3 (66.7, 91.7), 27

75.0 (66.7, 91.7),28

1.2 (− 4.9, 7.3)

0.740^a

 Fatigue

22.2 (11.1, 33.3), 27

33.3 (22.2, 55.6),28

− 16.5 (− 26.5, − 6.4)

0.002^a *

 Pain

16.7 (0.0, 33.3), 27

16.7 (0, 33.3),28

− 9.3 (− 20.1, 1.6)

0.092^a

 Insomnia

33.3 (0.0, 33.3), 27

33.3 (0, 66.6),28

− 11.1 (− 20.8, − 1.4)

0.026^a *

EQ5D questionnaire: usual activities

Pre-NCRT, n

Post-NCRT, n

Odds ratio (95% CI)

P value

 No problems doing usual activity

18 (67%), 27

14 (50%),28

8.6 (1.4, 52.8)

0.020^a *

 Slight problems doing my usual activity

7 (26%), 27

8 (28.6%),28

 Moderate problems doing usual activity

2 (7.4%), 27

5 (17.9%),28

 Severe problems doing usual activity

0 (0%), 27

1 (3.6%),28

 No problems washing or dressing

26 (96.3%), 27

26 (92.9%),28

2.4 (0.2, 28.4)

0.476^a

 Slight problems washing or dressing

1 (3.7%), 27

1 (3.6%),28

 Moderate problems washing or dressing

0 (0%), 27

1 (3.6%),28

 No pain or discomfort

10 (37.0%), 27

8 (28.6%),28

0.8 (0.3, 2.4)

0.721^a

 Slight pain or discomfort

11 (40.7%), 27

15 (53.6%),28

 Moderate pain or discomfort

5 (18.5%), 27

5 (18.9%),28

 Severe pain or discomfort

1 (3.7%), 27

0 (0%),28

 Not anxious or depressed

14 (51.9%), 27

15 (53.6%),28

0.6 (0.2, 2.2)

0.478^a

 Slightly anxious or depressed

8 (29.6%), 27

11 (39.3%),28

 Moderately anxious or depressed

4 (14.8%), 27

1 (3.6%),28

 Severely anxious or depressed

1 (3.7%), 27

1 (3.6%),28

Health scale (between 0 and 100 (best)

74.8 (16.8), 27

70.9 (14.4),28

4.2 (− 1.4, 9.9)

0.121^a

 Step count

5276 (3590, 8648), 22

5641 (3602, 8929),25

84.3 (− 1340.5, 1509.1)

0.904^a

 Sleep efficiency (%)

79.1 (69.6, 85.0), 21

79.1 (67.5, 82.9),25

0.354^b

 PA duration (min/day)

52.5 (28.7, 108.0), 22

70.3 (28, 121),25

− 0.2 (− 20.0, 19.5)

0.982^a

 Energy expenditure (kcal/day)

2258.3 (629.7), 22

2419.8 (593.5),25

− 37.5 (− 199.8, 124.8)

0.636^a

 Sleep duration (min/day)

391.1 (118.7), 22

377.3 (79.6),25

9.6 (− 40.9, 60.1)

0.697^a

 Average METS

1.4 (0.3), 22

1.3 (0.2),25

0.02 (− 0.07, 0.1)

0.593^a