Using Single-System Analyses to Assess the Effectiveness of an Exercise Intervention on Quality of Life for Hispanic Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study

Abstract Background Most cancer patients, under active treatment or not, are sedentary, despite increasing scientific and clinical understanding of the benefits of exercise and physical activity, such as improving quality of life, limiting disease symptoms, decreasing cancer recurrence, and increasing overall survival. Studies have shown that both supervised exercise and unsupervised physical activity programs have low adherence and limited long-term benefits among cancer survivors. Therefore, interventions focused on increasing physical activity levels have clinical and psychological relevance. The present study will examine the feasibility and efficacy of an intervention that combines supervised group exercise with active lifestyle recommendations, analyzing its clinical, psychological, physiological, functional, and immunological effects in breast cancer survivors. Methods Women aged 35–75 years who have completed chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery for breast cancer will be recruited from the Cancer Institute of the State of Sao Paulo (ICESP) and take part in a 16-week, parallel-group, randomized, and controlled trial. They will receive a booklet with recommendations for achieving a physically active lifestyle by increasing overall daily movement and undertaking at least 150 min/week of structured exercise. Then, they will be randomized into two groups: the supervised group will take part in two canoeing group exercise sessions every week, and the unsupervised group will increase their overall physical activity level by any means, such as active commuting, daily activities, or home-based exercise. Primary outcome includes aerobic capacity. Secondary outcomes are physical activity, physical functioning, self-reported quality of life, fatigue, presence of lymphedema, body composition, immune function, adherence to physical activity guidelines, and perceptions of self-image. Discussion Results should contribute to advance knowledge on the impact of a supervised group exercise intervention to improve aspects related to health, physical functioning, and quality of life in female breast cancer survivors. Trial registration Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials Number: RBR-3fw9xf. Retrospectively Registered on 27 December 2018. Items from the World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set can be accessed on http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-3fw9xf/.

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Exercise Intervention Improves Clinical Outcomes, but the “Time of Session” is Crucial for Better Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers11050706 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 706 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Feng Hong ◽

Weibing Ye ◽

Chia-Hua Kuo ◽

Yong Zhang ◽

Yongdong Qian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Meta Regression

This study examined the effects of exercise intervention on the quality of life (QoL), social functioning (SF), and physical functioning (PF) of breast cancer survivors, and identified the responsible and optimal exercise characteristics for amelioration of outcomes. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that adopted exercise intervention and measured the QoL, SF, and PF of breast cancer patients were included. We used meta-analysis to calculate the pooled effect, and meta-regression to identify the responsible exercise characteristics (type, frequency, duration, and time). Subgroup analysis assessed the optimal “time of session” for an improved QoL. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to determine the quality of studies. In the systematic review, we included 26 RCTs with a total of 1892 breast cancer patients, whilst 18 trials were considered for meta-analysis (exercise = 602; control = 603). The pooled effect showed that exercise intervention substantially improved the QoL (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.35; I2 = 61%; 95% confidence internal (CI): 0.15–0.54; p = 0.0004), SF (SMD = 0.20; I2 = 16%; 95% CI:0.08–0.32; p = 0.001), and PF (SMD = 0.32; I2 = 32%; 95% CI:0.20–0.44; p < 0.00001). Meta-regression analysis showed that improved QoL was associated (p = 0.041) with the “time of session”. More specifically, sessions conducted for medium-time (>45 to ≤60 min; p = 0.03) and longer-time (>60 to 90 min; p = 0.005) considerably improved the QoL, whilst shorter-time (≤45 min; p = 0.15) did not. To summarize, exercise interventions improved the QoL, SF, and PF of breast cancer survivors, where the “time of session” appeared to be crucial for an effective improvement in the QoL.

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Tailored Sailing Experience to Reduce Psychological Distress and Improve the Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Survey-Based Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17124406 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 4406 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daniela Mirandola ◽

Giovanna Franchi ◽

Alice Maruelli ◽

Manuela Vinci ◽

Maria Grazia Muraca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Well Being ◽

Sporting Activities

Background: Growing evidence indicates that physical/sporting activities may improve the health outcomes and quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer (BC) survivors. Since recent reports have suggested that sailing can improve the psychophysical well-being and QoL of people with disabilities, this pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a tailored sailing experience on the QoL and psychological distress (PD) of BC survivors. Methods: A group of 19 breast cancer survivors, who were attending the Cancer Rehabilitation Center in Florence, were invited to participate in a sailing school and completed a survey based on a structured online questionnaire assessing QoL and PD both on departure (baseline) and one week after returning (follow-up). The survey comprised a first part (i.e., sociodemographic characteristics and the practice of physical/sporting activities at baseline; sailing experience satisfaction at follow-up) and a second part (i.e., Short Form-12 (SF-12), State/Trait-Anxiety Inventory form Y (STAI-Y), distress thermometer questionnaires). A paired Student’s t-test was used to compare the baseline versus follow-up QoL and PD scores. Results: A statistically significant improvement in SF-12 mental component scores and a reduction in both STAI-Y state/trait components and distress thermometer scores were found after the sailing experience. Conclusions: We conclude that sailing practice could be a feasible intervention to increase the psychophysical well-being of BC survivors.

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