Methylphenidate and Exercise in Reducing Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients with Prostate Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• Prostate cancer patients who are receiving androgen deprivation therapy and/or radiation therapy, and presence of fatigue with severity of 1/10, on a 0-10 scale for at least 2 weeks
• Patient not regularly engaging in moderate aerobic exercise for > 90 minutes/week and/or vigorous aerobic exercise for > 30 minutes/week, and/ or strength training for >= 1 day/week
• Have no clinical evidence of cognitive failure as evidenced by treating clinician assessment at baseline
• Be willing to engage in follow-up telephone calls with a research staff
• Be willing to participate in the exercise programs
• Have telephone access so they can be contacted by the research staff
• Have a hemoglobin level of >= 10 g/dL within 2 weeks of enrollment
• Be able to understand the description of the study and give written informed consent
• Have a Zubrod performance status score of 0 to 2
• Seen at an outpatient clinic at MD Anderson Cancer Center, its Houston Area Locations (HALs) or Smith Radiation Oncology Clinic (HHS)

Exclusion Criteria

• Have a major contraindication to methylphenidate (MP) (e.g., allergy/hypersensitivity to study medications or their constituents), exercise (e.g., cardiac disease), or conditions making adherence difficult as determined by the attending physician
• Be currently taking MP, or have taken it within the previous 10 days
• Be unable to complete the baseline assessment forms (e.g., due to language or sensory barriers) or to understand the recommendations for participation in the study
• Need monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, or clonidine
• Have glaucoma
• Have severe cardiac disease (New York Heart Association functional class III or IV)
• Have tachycardia and/or uncontrolled hypertension
• Be currently receiving anticoagulants, anticonvulsants (phenobarbital, diphenylhydantoin, primidone; gabapentin allowed for non-seizure indication such as neuropathic pain and hot flashes), phenylbutazone, and/or tricyclic drugs (imipramine, clomipramine, or desipramine)
• Patient with metastatic prostate cancer with bone metastasis with pain >= 4/10