Table 1 Exclusion criteria

• metastases,

• (radio-)chemotherapy or surgery in the last 6 months,

• anemia (hemoglobin <10 mg/dl),

• other severe chronic conditions:

 - heart insufficiency > NYHA 1°,

 - instable angina pectoris > NYHA 1,

 - peripheral arterial occlusive disease > stage 1,

 - COPD > stage 2,

 - chronic renal insufficiency (creatinine > 2,5 mg/dl),

 - manifest non-treated hypothyreosis (TSH > 4 mU/l, fT4 < 9 pmol/l) or hyperthyreosis (TSH <4 mU/l, fT4 > 24 pmol/l),

 - severe limitations of musculoskeletal system,

 - manifest major-depression or psychosis,

 - sleep-disorders such as untreated sleep apnea syndrome,

 - untreated relevant restless legs-syndrome or narcolepsy,

• ongoing erythropoietin-therapy or transfusions,

• intensive training with optimized physical training of more than 2 × 30 min per week,

• psychotherapy started within the last 3 months or specified CRF-education or sleep education within the last year.