Does physical capacity match physical activity after lung cancer surgery? A ‘can do, do do’ characterization of individuals with resectable non-small cell lung cancer

At the 2026 ERS Congress in Barcelona, Sarah Van Hoye, PhD candidate at Hasselt University, presented findings on physical functioning after surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Recovery after lung cancer surgery does not end when patients leave hospital, with many patients remaining physically inactive. The study explored two complementary dimensions of physical functioning: physical capacity, reflecting what patients are capable of doing under standardised conditions, and physical activity, reflecting what they actually do in daily life. Using the ‘Can Do, Do Do’ framework, the researchers investigated whether these two dimensions match in individuals with resectable NSCLC.

The cross-sectional study included 67 individuals with resectable NSCLC. Physical capacity was assessed using the six-minute walk test, while physical activity was measured using accelerometry. Participants were classified into four groups according to their physical capacity and activity levels, and patient-reported outcomes were compared.

Participants were distributed across all four quadrants, with the largest group (31%) having sufficient physical capacity to be active but not translating this capacity into their daily lives. Patients with lower physical capacity reported poorer global health, while those with both low physical capacity and low physical activity also experienced greater symptom burden and anxiety compared with patients with both higher capacity and activity.

These findings highlight that physical capacity and physical activity provide different but complementary information about recovery after lung cancer surgery. Assessing both may help guide more personalised approaches to improving patients’ health and physical functioning after surgery.