| Author: | Lau, Benjamin Ka Ki |
| Title: | The effects of Chinese martial arts training on cancer-related fatigue on prostate cancer patients undergone androgen-deprivation therapy |
| Advisors: | Ng, Shamay (RS) Tsang, William (RS) |
| Degree: | DHSc |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Department: | Faculty of Health and Social Sciences |
| Pages: | xviii, 230 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | In Hong Kong, prostate cancer was the third most common cancer in the male population in 2021 with increasing prevalence. Cancer-related fatigue is a distressing symptom experienced by prostate cancer patients, particularly in those undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). As cancer-related fatigue has adverse impacts on prostate cancer patient's quality of life, effective treatment strategies are needed to alleviate the fatigue. Wing Chun, a Chinese martial art that includes moderate-intensity physical training with a strong mind–body component, is believed to offer mental well-being and stress reduction benefits. However, the effects of Wing Chun in terms of reducing cancer-related fatigue in prostate cancer patients have not yet been investigated. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of Wing Chun in relieving cancer-related fatigue in prostate cancer patients undergoing ADT. This thesis comprises three studies. The first study was a systematic review and meta-analysis that aimed to identify the effectiveness of Chinese martial arts training in reducing cancer-related fatigue in cancer patients. Sixteen randomised controlled trials with 1,365 cancer patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the overall effects of the trainings were not significant (standardised mean difference [SMD]: -0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.57 to 0.11, p = 0.19). In the sub-group analysis, martial arts training administered over a shorter intervention period was found to yield a significant medium-to-large pooled effect size on the reduction of cancer-related fatigue (SMD: -0.77, 95% CI: -1.54 to -0.01, p = 0.05). However, the lack of studies on Wing Chun training suggests the need for further research in this area. The second study was a cross-sectional comparison study aimed to detect differences in physical function and fatigue levels between prostate cancer patients and healthy adults in Hong Kong. Twelve healthy subjects and 13 prostate cancer patients were recruited. The fatigue level and physical functions of both the groups were measured and analysed. The results showed substantial differences in the fatigue level (p = 0.014), lower limb strength (p = 0.04) and cardiopulmonary function (p = 0.005) between the prostate cancer patients and healthy controls. However, more longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are warranted. The third study was an interventional study with a quasi-experimental design. It was a feasibility study to investigate the effectiveness of Wing Chun training in reducing cancer-related fatigue among prostate cancer patients undergoing ADT. All enrolled participants underwent baseline assessments of their fatigue level, physical functions and health-related quality of life. Thirteen subjects were recruited and received a 12-week Wing Chun training programme that included three weekly supervised Wing Chun exercise sessions. Outcome measurements were conducted at mid-term (8 weeks) and end of intervention (12 weeks). No adverse effects were reported during the intervention period. The participants also showed a significant improvement in fatigue levels (p = 0.012). Further studies should focus on improving the retention rate of the programme, and larger scale RCTs with placebo controls are warranted to confirm the effectiveness of the programme. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8643.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 6.59 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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