Benefits of 24 versus 12 weeks of exercise and wellness programming for women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Community exercise programs can help maintain or improve health in cancer survivors. However, the most effective and feasible duration of a community exercise program for breast cancer survivors who are undergoing treatment is not known. This pre-post-design study evaluated the effects of the "Breast cancer patients Engaging in Activity while Undergoing Treatment" (BEAUTY) program on physical and psychosocial outcomes after 12 and 24 weeks.



BEAUTY is an ongoing community exercise and wellness program for breast cancer patients who are undergoing, or within 3 months of completing chemotherapy and radiation. Participants completed assessments at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks to measure body composition, hand-grip dynamometry, aerobic fitness, and flexibility. Self-report questionnaires assessed fatigue (FACIT-fatigue), cognitive function (FACT-cog), quality of life (QOL) (FACT-B), and depressive symptoms (CES-D). Main analyses were repeated measures general linear model for all outcomes.



Assessments at all three time points were completed by N = 63 participants. At 24 weeks, waist to hip ratio (p = .019), duration of the submaximal treadmill test (p = .013), and estimated VO2max (p = .018) improved compared to baseline. Fatigue improved at 24 compared to 12 weeks (p = .002). FACT-B scores improved at 24 weeks when compared to both baseline (p = .002) and 12 weeks (p = .001). Depressive symptoms improved compared to baseline (p = .05) and 12 weeks (p = .009).



Additional benefits were seen after 24 versus 12 weeks, suggesting that a longer duration exercise program during, or shortly after completing treatments for breast cancer, may be necessary to see improvements in fitness and psychosocial outcomes. Findings can be applied to community exercise and rehabilitation programs for breast cancer survivors.
Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, 951 Plum Street, Moby Complex B, Office 205D, Ft. Collins, CO, 80523, USA. heather.leach@colostate.edu.
Heather J
HJ
Leach
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N-1N4, Canada.
Jessica M
JM
Danyluk
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, 8205 114St 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G4, Canada.
Kathryn C
KC
Nishimura
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N-1N4, Canada.|Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.|Department of Psychosocial Resources, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada.
S Nicole
SN
Culos-Reed
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors
Breast; Exercise; Female; Program evaluation