Six-month follow-up of patient-rated outcomes in a randomized controlled trial of exercise training during breast cancer chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
Few exercise trials in cancer patients have reported longer-term follow-up. Here, we report a 6-month follow-up of exercise behavior and patient-rated outcomes from an exercise trial in breast cancer patients.


METHODS
Breast cancer patients initiating adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 242) were randomly assigned to usual care (n = 82), resistance exercise training (RET; n = 82), or aerobic exercise training (AET; n = 78) for the duration of their chemotherapy. At 6-month follow-up, participants were mailed a questionnaire that assessed quality of life, self-esteem, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and exercise behavior.


RESULTS
Two hundred one (83.1%) participants provided 6-month follow-up data. Adjusted linear mixed-model analyses showed that, at 6-month follow-up, the RET group reported higher self-esteem [adjusted mean difference, 1.6; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.1-3.2; P = 0.032] and the AET group reported lower anxiety (adjusted mean difference, -4.7; 95% CI, -0.0 to -9.3; P = 0.049) compared with the usual care group. Moreover, compared with participants reporting no regular exercise during the follow-up period, those reporting regular aerobic and resistance exercise also reported better patient-rated outcomes, including quality of life (adjusted mean difference, 9.5; 95% CI, 1.2-17.8; P = 0.025).


CONCLUSIONS
Improvements in self-esteem observed with RET during breast cancer chemotherapy were maintained at 6-month follow-up whereas reductions in anxiety not observed with AET during breast cancer chemotherapy emerged at 6-month follow-up. Moreover, adopting a combined aerobic and resistance exercise program after breast cancer chemotherapy was associated with further improvements in patient-rated outcomes. Exercise training during breast cancer chemotherapy may result in some longer-term and late effects for selected patient-rated outcomes.
Courneya
Kerry S
KS
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. kerry.courneya@ualberta.ca
Segal
Roanne J
RJ
Gelmon
Karen
K
Reid
Robert D
RD
Mackey
John R
JR
Friedenreich
Christine M
CM
Proulx
Caroline
C
Lane
Kirstin
K
Ladha
Aliya B
AB
Vallance
Jeffrey K
JK
Liu
Qi
Q
Yasui
Yutaka
Y
McKenzie
Donald C
DC
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents