Short-term combined exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness and autonomic modulation in cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of a short-term exercise training (ET) on the cardiorespiratory fitness and autonomic modulation of women with breast cancer who were receiving adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormonotherapy. Eighteen women previously diagnosed with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormone therapy were randomly allocated into breast cancer nonexercise (BC) and exercise groups (BC+Ex). Moreover, nine healthy physically inactive volunteers were recruited to compose the noncancer control group (CG). The BC+Ex group was underwent to a combined ET program, which was based on resistance, aerobic and flexibility exercises. ET was performed 3 times a week, on nonconsecutive days, for 4 weeks at the hospital room under the professional supervision. In turn, BC and CG remained without be engaged in physical exercise programs. Volunteers were evaluated regarding their cardiorespiratory fitness and autonomic modulation (i.e., time, frequency domains, and nonlinear [symbolic analysis]) before and after the end of the ET program. A priori, data indicate that women patients with breast cancer showed impaired exercise tolerance, as well as autonomic dysfunction in comparison with age-matched healthy control subjects. However, a 1-month combined ET program could reverse such impairments, so that after the intervention, BC+Ex and CG showing similar results in the cardiorespiratory test and heart rate variability analysis. In conclusion, data of the current study indicate that 1 month of ET is able to reverse impaired cardiorespiratory fitness and autonomic modulation in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant therapy.

Resistance training in breast cancer patients undergoing primary treatment: a systematic review and meta-regression of exercise dosage

“…This study included 10 trials [5,6,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] specifically prescribing resistance training as the sole or part of a combined intervention, examining the respective dose-response relationship with health-related outcomes. However, there are some limitations worthy of comment.…”

“…Sixty-two studies were excluded due to not evaluating the effect of exercise on the main outcomes (n = 14), involving women with breast cancer not undergoing primary treatment (n = 17), reporting secondary analysis of the main trial (n = 21), examining different outcomes (n = 7), involving mixed cancer patients without separate data for breast cancer patients undergoing primary treatment (n = 2), and the language was not in English (n = 1). The eligibility assessment resulted in 10 trials [5,6,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] which were included in the present review and from which 4 trials [5,6,27,32] were included in the dose-response analysis. [27,28] were singlegroup exercise studies.…”

“…Study characteristics, sample size, exercise prescription, included outcomes, and assessment techniques are presented in Table 1. All trials [5,6,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] reported the frequency of training, 6 trials [5,6,25,29,31,32] reported the training volume, and 5 trials [5,6,25,26,32] reported the training intensity. In the quality assessment, 60% presented adequate sequence generation (6 [5, 6, 25, 29-31] of 10 studies), 20% (2 [5,6] of 10 studies) reported allocation concealment and had blinded assessment of outcomes [30,31], 90% described losses to follow-up and exclusions (9 [5, 6, 25-31] of 10 studies), and 40% reported using the intention-to-treat principle for statistical analysis (4 [5,6,29,30] of 10 studies) ( Table 2).…”

“…There were insufficient data points for the dose-response analysis in body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, and lean mass. In summary, 9 trials [5,6,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31] encompassing resistance training only [5] and combined resistance and aerobic training [6,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31] [27] No No Unclear Yes Unclear Leach et al 2016 [28] No [32] No No Unclear Unclear Unclear Table 3 Association between main outcomes and resistance training weekly volume and peak intensity…”

Feasibility and benefit of long-dose stroke neurorehabilitation which produced and maintained balance and mobility gains throughout cancer surgery and radiation treatment

“…These exercise recommendations are consistent with those utilized in our rehabilitation program for stroke survivors. A 2017 intervention study by Mostarda, et Boissoneault C (2018) Feasibility and benefit of long-dose stroke neurorehabilitation which produced and maintained balance and mobility gains throughout cancer surgery and radiation treatment breast cancer who participated in a 1-month aerobic and resistance exercise program significantly improved heart rate variability and cardiorespiratory impairments to levels that were comparable to healthy controls [12].…”