title: Physical activity, long-term symptoms, and physical health-related quality of life among breast cancer survivors: a prospective analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many breast cancer survivors experience persistent physical symptoms of cancer and treatment that can decrease health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This prospective study investigated physical activity (PA), occurrence of physical symptoms, and HRQOL in a large, ethnically-diverse cohort of breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survivors (n = 545), on average 6 months post-diagnosis, were assessed in person or by mail at baseline (retrospective reports of pre-diagnosis PA), at 29 months post-diagnosis (post-diagnosis PA), and at 39 months post-diagnosis (pain, hormone symptoms, sexual interest/dysfunction, fatigue, physical subscales of HRQOL). Linear regression and analysis of covariance assessed the relationships between pre- and post-diagnosis PA and PA change after cancer with symptoms and HRQOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater pre-diagnosis PA was associated with better physical functioning at 39 months (betas 1.1-2.3; all p < 0.01) but was generally unrelated to symptoms. Greater post-diagnosis sports/recreational PA was related to less fatigue and better physical functioning (betas -0.146, 2.21; both p < 0.01). Increased PA after cancer was related to less fatigue and pain and better physical functioning (all p < 0.01). Significant positive associations were found for moderate to vigorous and vigorous sports/recreation PA, not household activity. Results were similar for Hispanic and non-Hispanic White women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased PA, especially after cancer, was consistently related to better physical functioning and to reduced fatigue and bodily pain, underscoring the need for PA promotion among survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survivors may be able to decrease fatigue and bodily pain and be better able to pursue daily activities through increasing recreational PA after cancer.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Cancer Center and School of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alfano
authors.forename: Ashley Wilder
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Melinda L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Bess
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sorensen
authors.forename: Bryce B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Meeske
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Kathy B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ballard-Barbash
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McTiernan
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002140:California; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009516:New Mexico; D010146:Pain; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D014861:Washington