title: Predictors of follow-up exercise behavior 6 months after a randomized trial of exercise training during breast cancer chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exercise during breast cancer chemotherapy is beneficial but it needs to be maintained into survivorship to optimize long-term benefits. Here, we report the predictors of follow-up exercise behavior 6 months after a randomized exercise trial in breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Breast cancer patients (N = 242) initiating adjuvant chemotherapy were randomly assigned to usual care (n = 82), supervised resistance exercise (n = 82), or supervised aerobic exercise (n = 78) for the duration of their chemotherapy. At baseline and postintervention, data were collected on demographic, medical, behavioral, fitness, psychosocial, and motivational variables. At 6-month follow-up, participants were mailed a questionnaire that assessed exercise behavior over the past 6 months and were categorized as either meeting both aerobic and resistance exercise guidelines, either exercise guideline, or neither exercise guideline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred one (83.1%) participants provided 6-month follow-up data with 85 (42.3%) meeting neither exercise guideline, 74 (36.8%) meeting either exercise guideline, and 42 (20.9%) meeting both exercise guidelines. In multivariate regression analysis, seven variables independently predicted the likelihood of meeting exercise guidelines at follow-up including higher pretrial exercise (beta = 0.23; P = 0.002), younger age (beta = -0.15; P = 0.028), breast conserving surgery (beta = 0.15; P = 0.033), strength improvements (beta = 0.15; P = 0.028), lower postintervention fatigue (beta = 0.13; P = 0.067), a more positive attitude (beta = 0.12; P = 0.086), and lower postintervention body mass index (beta = -0.11; P = 0.105).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise behavior 6 months after a randomized trial was predicted by a wide range of demographic, medical, behavioral, fitness, psychosocial, and motivational variables. These findings may help facilitate the uptake of exercise behavior during the transition from breast cancer patient to survivor.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, E-488 Van Vliet Center, Edmonton, AB, Canada. kerry.courneya@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Kerry S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Courneya
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Friedenreich
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gelmon
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Aliya B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Ladha
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Proulx
authors.forename: Jeffrey K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Vallance
authors.forename: Roanne J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Segal
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents