Exercise Program Improves Quality of Life for Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients
A new study published in Nature Medicine shows that partic-ipating in an exercise program can reduce pain and fatigue, and improve the quality of life for individuals with metastatic breast cancer.
The PREFERABLE EFFECT trial, funded by the H2020 program, included 357 patients from eight cancer centers across Europe and Australia. The study found that those who participated in a nine-month exercise program experienced significant improvements in their well-being.
Yvonne Wengström from the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) at Karolinska Institutet, and Helene Rundqvist from the Department of Laboratory Medicine (LabMed), were part of the research team. “Although there’s substantial evidence for the beneficial effects of exercise for people with early-stage cancer, we have seen very little research on exercise in patients with more advanced disease,” said Wengström.
Supportive care strategies are needed
Patients with metastatic cancer often undergo continuous treatment aimed at prolonging their lives, which can lead to a decline in quality of life. “We need supportive care strategies, like exercise, that make the lives of these patients better,” added Rundqvist.The trial divided the patients into two groups: 178 patients participated in a personalized exercise program, while 179 received their usual care. The exercise regimen included twice-weekly sessions of resistance, aerobic, and balance exercises, supervised by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. Both groups were encouraged to stay physically active for at least 30 minutes daily and were provided with activity trackers.
Less fatigue and better quality of life
Researchers assessed patients’ fatigue levels and quality of life at the start of the study and after three, six, and nine months. The results indicated that those in the exercise group experienced less fatigue and reported a better quality of life. The most significant improvements were observed in women under 50 and those who initially reported pain.
“Based on these findings, we recommend supervised exercise for all patients with metastatic breast cancer, particularly those experiencing pain, as part of their standard care,” the authors suggested. They noted that while older patients also benefited from exercise, the program might need adjustments to maximize their benefits.
“If patients are interested in exercising, I recommend talking to their doctor or nurse first and looking for an exercise trainer who is trained in helping cancer patients, as some adjustments to the exercise program may be necessary when the patients have, for example, bone or brain metastases,” Wengström clarified.
Rundqvist added, “We don’t know exactly why exercise helps cancer patients who are suffering from fatigue, but we think it could be because exercise reduces inflammation. We have collected blood samples from our trial participants, and studying these samples may tell us more.”
Cost-effectiveness analysis
The researchers are also conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis to persuade policymakers and health insurers to fund exercise programs for patients. Professor Michail Ignatiadis from the Institut Jules Bordet in Brussels, Belgium, commented on the results: “This research is good news for patients with advanced breast cancer because it shows that they can enjoy a better quality of life with less fatigue and pain if they take part in an exercise program as part of their treatment and care.”
Publication
Supervised, structured and individualized exercise in metastatic breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial.
Hiensch AE, Depenbusch J, Schmidt ME, Monninkhof EM, Pelaez M, Clauss D, Gunasekara N, Zimmer P, Belloso J, Trevaskis M, Rundqvist H, Wiskemann J, Müller J, Sweegers MG, Fremd C, Altena R, Gorecki M, Bijlsma R, van Leeuwen-Snoeks L, Ten Bokkel Huinink D, Sonke G, Lahuerta A, Mann GB, Francis PA, Richardson G, Malter W, van der Wall E, Aaronson NK, Senkus E, Urruticoechea A, Zopf EM, Bloch W, Stuiver MM, Wengstrom Y, Steindorf K, May AM
Nat Med 2024 Jul;():