Feasibility and Validity of the 6-Minute Cycling Test in Childhood Cancer Patients.
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The 6-min cycling test (6MCT), a submaximal endurance test, has not yet been applied in pediatric oncology. This study evaluates its feasibility and validity in 71 childhood cancer patients (9.6 ± 4.0 years). For validation, 46 patients additionally underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Performance in the 6MCT (total revolutions) was correlated with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and peak work rate (WRpeak) using Spearman's correlation. Linear regressions assessed the predictive value of VO2peak and WRpeak on 6MCT performance. Sixty-six participants (93%) successfully completed the 6MCT, averaging 550 ± 129 revolutions. Revolutions correlated moderately with VO2peak (ρ = 0.46, p = 0.001) and strongly with WRpeak (ρ = 0.64, p < 0.001). VO2peak significantly predicted 6MCT performance (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.214), whereas WRpeak explained more variance (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.488). The results demonstrate that the 6MCT is a feasible, valid endurance assessment in this population, offering a promising alternative when gold standard testing is not available.