title: Exercise and relaxation intervention for breast cancer survivors: feasibility, acceptability and effects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although evidence mounts regarding the beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) interventions for breast cancer survivors, not all interventions have produced significant improvement in mood. Relaxation training may be a promising strategy for enhancing mood effects from these interventions. The goals of Be Calm and Move On were to assess the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effects of a 12-week combined PA and relaxation intervention for breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three early-stage breast cancer survivors were enrolled and 19 were retained for the intervention and 12- and 24-week follow-ups. Participants received a theoretically grounded intervention delivered via telephone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participant evaluations of the intervention indicated that it was feasible and acceptable (e.g. 100% would recommend it to others); objective data further supported its feasibility (e.g. 83% completed the trial, 91% of intervention calls were received). In addition, when comparing 12- and 24-week follow-up data to baseline data, participants demonstrated significantly increased PA, improved mood and sleep quality, and reduced fatigue (p's<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, this pilot study suggests that the intervention is feasible and acceptable and produces promising effects on mood, sleep, and fatigue.
authors.affiliation: The Miriam Hospital and Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA. CRabin@lifespan.org
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabin
authors.forename: Bernardine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Shira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dunsiger
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trask
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*