Effects of the number of steps and quantity of sleep time on chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia

Abstract

Skeletal muscle mass and circadian rhythm affect the metabolism of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU). Reducing the amount of exercise and sleep in patients undergoing chemotherapy can increase the incidence of adverse events ; however, their association with adverse events is unclear. Using a wearable activity meter, we assessed the number of steps and sleep time in patients undergoing chemotherapy. We examined the effects of the number of steps and sleep time on the incidence of neutropenia in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy including 5‐FU. This study included 59 patients. The normal group included 45 patients and the neutropenia group included 14 patients. The shallow sleep time was longer in patients with neutropenia, but no difference was observed in the total sleep time or the total number of steps. Machine learning revealed that the quality and quantity of sleep significantly affect the incidence of neutropenia；however, the number of steps had only a moderate effect. In conclusion, the quantity and quality of sleep can affect the metabolism of 5‐FU and the incidence of neutropenia.