title: Effects of 12-week resistance training during radiotherapy in breast cancer patients.
abstract: Exercise is considered to be an effective supportive treatment approach in breast cancer (BC) patients. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a 12-week PRT during radiotherapy. Strength performance was assessed by maximal isokinetic peak torque (MIPT) in two different angular velocities (60°/s and 180°/s) and maximal voluntary isometric contraction for shoulder external and internal rotation, as well as for knee extension and flexion were assessed pre- and post-intervention in 146 patients randomized to PRT or a control group. Statistical analyses were based on analysis of covariance models for the individual changes from baseline to week 13. Intention-to-treat analyses showed significant between-group differences favoring the exercise group (EX) for MIPT in knee flexion and shoulder internal and external rotation (P < 0.05). Subgroup analyses showed borderline significant differences with regard to pretreatment history, revealing that pretreated chemotherapy patients tend to benefit more from PRT than patients without chemotherapy (P = 0.06). Strength gain at the operated arm was significantly higher than at the non-operated arm in EX. PRT was efficacious in increasing upper and lower limb strength in BC patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy. Patients with restrictions due to breast cancer-related surgery and pretreated with chemotherapy might benefit the most.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.|Division of Preventive Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiskemann
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center for Tumor Diseases and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.|Hospital Münsterland, Bad Rothenfelde, Germany.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Klassen
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, National Center for a Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Debus
authors.affiliation: Huntsman Cancer Center at Intermountain Medical Center, Murray/Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.|Division of Radiation Oncology, National Center for a Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Potthoff
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center for Tumor Diseases and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steindorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005221:Fatigue / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D055070:Resistance Training; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology; D019415:Torque
keywords: Physical activity; chemotherapy; fitness; isokinetic; oncology; strength