Item Details

title

A Tailored Exercise Program for Breast Cancer Survivors: An Examination of Body Weight and Health-Related Quality of Life

author

Davenport, Anna

abstract

As breast cancer survival rates improve, more women will have to cope with the long term effects of breast cancer treatment. Weight gain, a common long term side effect of treatment, negatively affects breast cancer outcomes (Chlebowski, Aiello, & McTiernan, 2002; Rock et al., 1999). Very few studies have investigated the effect of physical activity on body weight in breast cancer survivors, and even fewer studies have examined the relationship between body weight and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal effect of a physical activity intervention on weight maintenance in breast cancer survivors and to analyze the relationship between body weight and HRQL in this population. One hundred and four women who had been surgically treated for Stage I-III breast cancer were recruited and randomized into either a comprehensive tailored exercise program (CTEP), or a usual care group (UC). The CTEP group underwent a training program including both aerobic exercise and resistance training, and the usual care group received patient education. Body weight, self-reported physical activity (via CHAMPS) and self-reported HRQL (via the FACT-B) were collected at baseline, 6, 9, 15, and 18 months. Neither group gained more than 2.3 kg over 18 months indicating weight maintenance in both groups. Pearson correlations demonstrated a negative correlation between physical activity and BMI, which was significant at both 9 months and 18 months. Likewise, repeated measures ANCOVA revealed that the participants in the intervention group had a significant decrease in BMI at both 6 and 9 months (p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively) and that participants in the control group had a significant increase in BMI at 18 months (p=0.01). Repeated measures ANCOVA also revealed that post-baseline BMI was significantly lower in the intervention group when compared to the control group (p=0.01). Pearson correlations demonstrated a significant association between BMI and FACT-B over the course of 18 months (p<0.05). Weight gain is a deleterious side effect of breast cancer treatments that can lead to adverse outcomes. These results not only suggest that physical activity is related to BMI in breast cancer survivors but also show that BMI is negatively correlated with HRQL in this population. Consequently, weight management should be one of the primary goals in the rehabilitation of breast cancer, and health care providers should consider the role of physical activity as part of the standard treatment regimen for breast cancer survivors.

subject

Exercise

Breast Cancer

Body Weight

Health-Related Quality of Life

contributor

Brubaker, Peter H. (committee chair)

Mihalko, Shannon L. (committee member)

Miller, Gary D. (committee member)

date

2010-05-06T17:18:46Z (accessioned)

2010-06-18T18:59:40Z (accessioned)

2010-05-06T17:18:46Z (available)

2010-06-18T18:59:40Z (available)

2010-05-06T17:18:46Z (issued)

degree

Health & Exercise Science (discipline)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14877 (uri)

publisher

Wake Forest University

rights

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide. (accessRights)

type

Thesis