Item Details

abstract

The American Cancer Society estimated that 232,340 women would be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, joining 2.9 million cancer survivors. Modifiable risk factors, such as physical activity and body weight, have been found to affect diagnosis and recurrence (Neilson et al., 2009). Few longitudinal studies have examined a combination of pre- and post-surgery physical activity patterns, strength, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and recurrence in breast cancer survivors. This prospective study of 311 newly diagnosed, overweight (BMI=28.9 kg/m2 +/- 6.2 kg/m2) women (M age=57.1 years +/- 11.3 years) with biopsy proven breast cancer measured physical activity levels, comorbidities, grip strength, and anthropometrics at pre-surgery, as well as recurrence and change in physical activity, strength, and anthropometrics at 6, 12, and 24 months post-surgery. Pre-surgery physical activity levels were below national recommendations. Using independent t-tests, BMI was significantly higher among those that had hypertension (32.6 kg/m2 vs. 28.4 kg/m2, p=.001) and type II diabetes mellitus (34.2 kg/m2 vs. 28.7 kg/m2, p=.006), but there was no significance among physical activity levels and comorbidities. Spearman correlations of baseline variables showed that moderate physical activity was associated with higher levels of grip strength, strength training, BMI, and lower waist circumference. Repeated regression models assessed the change in variables, with grip strength, on both affected and non-affected sides, significantly changing over the follow-up periods (p=.0004). BMI increased for those that underwent chemotherapy from the 12 to 24 month time period (p=.017). There were 17 recurrences overall, with 9 having 12 month follow-up data. Recurrence data showed that participants who were considered active had more recurrences and reported more physical activity than those that did not recur, but this was considered not significant (p=0.17). There was no significant difference in recurrence among the active groups in BMI change (p=0.47) or grip strength change (p=0.17), and waist change was borderline significant (p=0.055). Our findings show that physical activity levels do not increase post-surgery, as the slight gains in moderate physical activity do not offset decreased mild physical activity. Further, significant loss in strength in the first year after treatment is clear. Moderate aerobic activity was important in weight management, but not with grip strength, over 12 and 24 months. Lifestyle intervention programs immediately post-surgery may prove most effective in promoting aerobic activity, strength training, and weight control. Therefore, implementing physical activity and weight management programs may reverse strength declines and promote a positive prognosis in breast cancer survivors.

subject

Breast Cancer

Exercise

Obesity

Physical Activity

Recurrence

Weight Management

contributor

Yocke, Samantha Elizabeth (author)

Mihalko, Shannon L (committee chair)

Katula, Jeffrey A (committee member)

Vitolins, Mara Z (committee member)

date

2013-06-06T21:19:33Z (accessioned)

2013 (issued)

degree

Health and Exercise Science (discipline)

10000-01-01 (liftdate)

embargo

forever (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/38553 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

title

IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS

type

Thesis