Cancer de mama

Breast Cancer Res Treat (2010) 121:413–419 DOI 10.1007/s10549-010-0913-0

CLINICAL TRIAL

Three versus six months of exercise training in breast cancer survivors
Lisa K. Sprod • City C. Hsieh • Reid Hayward Carole M. Schneider
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Received: 27 January 2010 / Accepted: 21 April 2010 / Published online: 5 May 2010 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2010

Abstract Breast cancer is themost prevalent type of cancer in American women. Exercise appears to diminish many of the side effects resulting from breast cancer and its treatment. Very little research, however, has compared the outcomes of varying lengths of combined aerobic and resistance training exercise interventions on physiological and psychological parameters in breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was tocompare the physiological and psychological outcomes following 3 and 6 months of exercise in breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer survivors (N = 114) participated in either 3 months of prescriptive, individualized exercise (3M; n = 29), 6 months of prescriptive, individualized exercise (6M; n = 68), or served as sedentary controls (C; n = 17). Cancer survivors completed a medical evaluation andassessment at baseline followed by a predetermined 3- or 6-month exercise intervention. Cancer survivors in the control group performed no exercise between the initial assessment and 6-month reassessment. Cardiovascular endurance, pulmonary function, muscular endurance, fatigue, and symptoms of depression were assessed at baseline and post intervention. Repeated measures ANCOVA revealedimprovements (P \ 0.05) in cardiovascular endurance, fatigue, and symptoms of depression in breast cancer survivors undergoing 3- and 6-month individualized exercise

interventions. Breast cancer survivors exercising for 6 months showed additional improvements (P \ 0.05) in pulmonary function and muscular endurance. Cancer survivors in the control group did not improve in cardiovascular endurance,pulmonary function, muscular endurance, or fatigue. Three months of individualized, prescriptive exercise leads to improved cardiovascular endurance, fatigue, and symptoms of depression in breast cancer survivors. Additional benefits are seen if exercise is continued for a total of 6 months. Keywords Breast cancer survivors Á Cancer-related fatigue Á Depression Á Exercise Á Muscular endurance Á Pulmonaryfunction

Introduction Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women, with one in eight women expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime [1]. Fortunately, earlier detection and more aggressive therapies have improved the survival rate by nearly 15% over the past two decades, to an estimated overall survival rate of 89% across all breast cancer stages [1].Despite the prevalence of breast cancer, the majority of women are surviving and facing the task of combating the physiological and psychological problems resulting from cancer and its treatment. Treatment for breast cancer often includes surgery followed by adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation [2]. Surgical treatment and radiation can result in significant upper body limitations [3–5]including impaired range of motion [6, 7], reduction in muscle activity [8], and the development of lymphedema [9] which can lead to a

L. K. Sprod Á R. Hayward Á C. M. Schneider (&) Rocky Mountain Cancer Rehabilitation Institute, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 6, Greeley, CO 80639, USA e-mail: carole.schneider@unco.edu L. K. Sprod University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA C. C.Hsieh Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, Taiwan

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reduction in quality of life and psychological distress [10]. Chemotherapy is commonly used as an adjuvant treatment to reduce the likelihood of metastasis [2]. Antineoplastic drugs are a highly effective treatment against cancer cells, increasing the time between initial diagnosis and...