Exercise in Improving Mobility and Reducing Fatigue and/or Weakness in Older Cancer Survivors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Survivor of breast, prostate, colon, lung, lymphoma, ovarian, bladder, or esophageal cancer with no evidence of disease
* At least moderate levels of fatigue and/or weakness
* Impaired mobility but ambulatory and medically able to participate in an exercise regimen

  * No impaired knee flexion, defined as \< 90º

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Folstein Mini-Mental Status Examination score ≥ 23
* No extreme claustrophobia
* No diagnosed chronic fatigue syndrome/disorder
* No neurological impairments, including the following:

  * Central nervous system disorder (e.g., multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease)
  * Neurological insult (cerebrovascular attack) that manifests in a mobility disorder
* No myopathic disease (e.g., focal myopathy) that effects skeletal muscle structure/function
* No rheumatological disease that has an effect on muscle and/or mobility (e.g., polymyalgia rheumatica)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 6 months since prior regular aerobic or resistance exercise

  * Regular exercise defined as 2-3 times per week
* At least 6 months since prior cancer treatment (surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy )
* No concurrent cancer-related treatment other than hormonal therapy