Physical activity intensity and health status perception of breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to evaluate the physical activity intensity (PAI) of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and investigate the relationship between health status perception and PAI in Japan.


METHODS
Consenting participants of this prospective, descriptive, repeated measures design were 28 women aged 20-64 with stage I-IIIA initial breast cancer whose regimen included anthracycline. Participants wore a triaxial accelerometer and their PAI was measured for a 14-day period at the beginning of chemotherapy. The SF-36 Survey and Cancer Fatigue Scale were administered. The accelerometer was used to calculate the number of steps, physical activity level (PAL) and total minutes of PAI levels of under 1.5 Mets, 1.5-2.9 Mets, and more than 3.0 Mets during the first half (FH; days 2-7) and second half (SH; days 8-14) of the study. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis.


RESULTS
During FH, the mean number of steps was 3841.1 steps/day and mean PAL was 1.43; during SH, the mean number of steps was 4058.4 steps/day, mean PAL was 1.43; participants spent over 70% of the day working quietly in a sitting position. PAL during SH was significantly associated with mean time spent during activities of 1.5-2.9 Mets (β = 0.880, p < 0.0001) and 3.0 Mets (β = 0.268, p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had extremely low physical activity. They should be provided useful information of appropriate physical movement and be supported in resolving physical and psychological distress.
National College of Nursing, Japan. Electronic address: tonosakia@adm.ncn.ac.jp.
Akiko
A
Tonosaki
National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan.
Miharu
M
Ishikawa
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
Breast cancer; Chemotherapy; Fatigue; Metabolic equivalent; Physical activity intensity; SF-36; Sedentary behavior; Triaxial accelerometer