Physical activity can have a “big impact” on women with high-risk breast cancer

Ani |
Has been updated: May 24, 2020 15:41 IST

Washington DC. [USA], May 24 (ANI): A recent study found that exercising two and a half hours a week not only extends women’s lifespan, but also helps them stay cancer-free after treatment.
These are the result of a comprehensive analysis of exercise and its protective role in high-risk breast cancer patients. This study suggests that even moderate exercise may be beneficial.
“Aiming at two and a half hours a week is a minimum federal guideline, but it can have a significant impact on women with high-risk breast cancer,” said research chief Rikki Cannioto, PhD, and EdD. I am.
“Our research shows that some physical activity is far superior to no activity at all in terms of cancer survival, and is as beneficial as a longer workout,” Cannioto said. I added.
Cannioto’s research is part of a clinical trial conducted by the SWOG Cancer Research Network, a cancer clinical trial network funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Is and is a member of the oldest and largest public institution-a national research network. The findings are published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and featured in the latest edition of NCI’s Cancer Currents blog.
Studies have long shown a positive correlation between exercise and cancer survival. People who have a lot of exercise before or after cancer treatment appear to live longer. A feature of the SWOG study was also to show that among the high-risk breast cancer patients studied, those who exercised were less likely to have breast cancer recurrence after treatment.
Another new twist is the survey timescale. Patients were asked not only about exercise before and after cancer treatment, but also during chemotherapy.
Cannioto, an associate professor of oncology in the Cancer Prevention and Control Division at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, wants to identify the impact of exercise volume and timing on women with high-risk or likely breast cancer. I’m back. She addressed this question in the context of Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle, and Cancer Prognosis (DELCaP) led by Roswell Park and her SWOG collaborator Dr. Christine Ambroson.
The DELCaP study was part of S0221, a randomized phase III SWOG trial that determined the best doses and schedules for the three chemotherapeutic agents. S0221 includes patients with stage II or III breast cancer or high-risk stage I cancer. All of these have a high recurrence rate, among other features, because of the large primary tumor or the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. S0221 enrolled 2,716 patients and 1,607 agreed to complete the DELCaP questionnaire.
It included questions about the subject’s habits, including exercise. Before being diagnosed with breast cancer, they were asked about their current habits and daily life. The questionnaire was re-taken 1 year after study treatment and 2 years after treatment when the patient was enrolled in the study while receiving chemotherapy, giving a total of 4 responses. Over 80% answered in each round.
Regarding exercise, patients were asked what kind of physical activity they had, how long and how often. Answers were categorized based on the US Department of Health and Human Services Guidelines for Physical Activity for Americans. The guidelines require at least two and a half hours a week of moderate intensity activity, or one and a half hours a week of intense activity. Next, Kanio and her team examined the post-treatment outcomes of various groups.
Here’s what they found:
-Patients who met the minimum federal exercise guidelines before and after treatment had a significantly reduced risk of cancer recurrence-a 55% reduction in risk.
-Patients who met the minimum federal exercise guidelines before and after treatment had a significantly reduced risk of death-a 68% reduction in risk.
-Patients who started exercise only after treatment still had significant benefits. 46% reduced the likelihood of recurrence and 43% reduced the likelihood of death.
-Consistent weekly exercise for several weeks provides the same survival benefit as a longer duration of weekly activity.
“ These results suggest to doctors and patients that women with high-risk breast cancer can live longer and healthier lives, even with moderate exercise routines taken up after cancer treatment. “Cannioto said.
“It’s never too late to start walking, yoga, biking, or swimming, and that activity certainly seems to be paying off,” Cannioto added. (Ani)