Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 Anemia is one of the most common problems in cancer patients. There is a strong correlation between hemoglobin levels and fatigue and quality of life in these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of aerobic exercise on erythrocyte indices in cancer patients after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

 Materials and Methods

 In this applied and quasi experimental study, we evaluated thirteen transplant patients and compared them to an age and sex-matched control group (n=13). The intensity of cardio training was 60-70% of maximum heart rate for 4-6 weeks, 20-30 minutes each day. The variables of this study were RBC, Hct and Hb levels. The blood sample was taken in the first and last day of hospitalization.

 Results

 The results of this study showed that aerobic exercise has significant effects on RBC (p=0.026), Hct (p=0.032) and Hb (p=0.007) levels in cancer patients after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

 Conclusions

 These findings suggest that aerobic exercise may lead to an increased production of hematopoietic factors in cancer patients after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.