EFFECT OF AEROBIC EXERCISE ON FATIGUE AND FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY IN POST-OPERATIVE BREAST CANCER PATIENTS RECEIVING ADJUVANT THERAPY

A. Bhise¹, S. Amarsheda²

¹U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology & Research Centre, Physiotherapy, Ahmedabad, India, ²ESIC Model Hospital, Physiotherapy, Ahmedabad, India

Background: Adjuvant therapy in patients with early stage breast cancer can increase patients’ overall health and survival rate but it also has some unwanted changes in patients’ life. Of all the symptoms experienced by patients due to adjuvant therapy, fatigue and decreased physical activity are most common which have a major impact on their overall well-being and quality of life. Home-based aerobic exercise lessens the burden of transportation, scheduling time with other patients, less expensive and patients do not have to attend training classes to maintain their physical activity.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of home-based aerobic exercise training with conventional exercise on fatigue and functional capacity in postoperative breast cancer patients who are receiving adjuvant therapy.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on stage I-III post-operative breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy. FACIT Fatigue questionnaire and 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) were used for fatigue measurement and functional capacity, respectively. Eligible participants were randomized into group A and group B. Group A received aerobic exercise with conventional exercise 3 times in a week consisting of two supervised sessions and one unsupervised session for 8 weeks and Group B participants received conventional exercise alone daily for 8 weeks.

Results: Participants in Group A (n=27) have shown significant improvement in fatigue level and functional capacity after the intervention (p<0.05). Participants in Group B (n=28) have shown significant increase in fatigue level with adjuvant therapy and no improvement in functional capacity. There was significant improvement in fatigue and functional capacity (p<0.05) in home based aerobic exercise group compared to conventional exercise group.

Conclusions: Home based aerobic exercise is effective for the management of fatigue and functional capacity in post-operative breast cancer women receiving adjuvant therapy.

Implications: Home based interventions are convenient, feasible, easily applicable and accepted by the women with breast cancer which can be easily taught and well received by the participants receiving adjuvant therapy. Creating awareness and enhancing the knowledge regarding these intervention to the patients and health care providers would be a great step forward in addressing the need of exercise in breast cancer patients. Emphasize should be more in creating a multidisciplinary approach so that patients can get better outcome from the treatment.

Funding acknowledgements: Not applicable

Keywords:
Home based aerobic exercise
Adjuvant therapy
Breast cancer

Topics:
Oncology, HIV & palliative care
Cardiorespiratory
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: B.J.Medical College & Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad

Committee: Institutional Ethics Committee

Ethics number: GSIIESC/05/18