"There is no expiration date": a qualitative analysis using the Social Cognitive Theory to identify factors influencing physical activity among adults living with advanced cancer.

PURPOSE: To identify cognitive, behavioral, environmental, and other factors that influence physical activity in adults with advanced cancer using qualitative, semi-structured interviews. METHODS: Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults living with stage IV breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer; or multiple myeloma recruited from the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. We used the Social Cognitive Theory to design the interview guide and a reflexive thematic approach for analysis. RESULTS: Participants were 62 years old on average and currently receiving treatment. Despite reporting numerous barriers to physical activity, most participants discussed engaging in some physical activity. Participants reported difficulties coping with changes in physical functioning especially due to fatigue, weakness, neuropathy, and pain. While cold weather was seen as a deterrent for activity, access to sidewalks was a commonly reported feature of neighborhood conduciveness for physical activity. Regardless of current activity levels, adults with advanced cancer were interested in engaging in activities to meet their goals of gaining strength and maintaining independence. Having a conversation with a provider from their cancer care team about physical activity was seen as encouraging for pursuing some activity. CONCLUSIONS: Adults living with advanced cancer are interested in pursuing activity to gain strength and maintain independence despite reported barriers to physical activity. To ensure patients are encouraged to be active, accessible resources, targeted referrals, and interventions designed to address their goals are critical next steps. RELEVANCE: Integrating conversations about physical activity into oncology care for adults living with advanced cancer is an important next step to encourage patients to remain active and help them improve strength and maintain quality of life and independence.

Health system and patient-level factors associated with multidisciplinary care and patient education among hospitalized, older cancer survivors.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine system- and patient-level factors associated with the number of healthcare disciplines involved in delivery of patient education among hospitalized older cancer survivors. Methods: We used electronic health record (EHR) data from a single institution documenting patient education among hospitalized older patients (≥65 years) with a history of cancer between 9/1/2018 and 10/1/2019. We used parametric ordinal logistic regression to assess the number of healthcare disciplines involved in documented education activities. Results: The sample (n = 446) was predominantly male, White, and on average 74 years old. Adjusting for patient and system-level variables, men and larger department units had higher odds of receiving education from fewer healthcare disciplines. Patients with a history of breast or prostate cancer and longer lenths of stay had lower odds of receiving patient education from fewer healthcare disciplines. Conclusion: Hospital size, severity of illness, and cancer type are associated with delivery of multidisciplinary education in this sample. Innovation: EHR provides an opportunity to identify patterns in patient education among cancer survivors. Future research should investigate provider perspectives of the findings to inform provider- and system-level strategies to improve patient education.

A multi-site trial of an electronic health integrated physical activity promotion intervention in breast and endometrial cancers survivors: MyActivity study protocol.

Despite the known benefits of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for breast and endometrial cancer survivors, most are insufficiently active, interventions response is heterogeneous, and MVPA programming integration into cancer care is limited. A stepped care approach, in which the least resource-intensive intervention is delivered first and additional components are added based on individual response, is one strategy to enhance uptake of physical activity programming. However, the most effective intervention augmentation strategies are unknown. In this singly randomized trial of post-treatment, inactive breast and endometrial cancer survivors (n = 323), participants receive a minimal intervention including a Fitbit linked with their clinic's patient portal and, in turn, the electronic health record (EHR) with weekly feedback delivered via the portal. MVPA progress summaries are sent to participants' oncology team via the EHR. MVPA adherence is evaluated at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks; non-responders (those meeting ≤80% of the MVPA goal over previous 4 weeks) at each timepoint are randomized once for the remainder of the 24-week intervention to one of two "step-up" conditions: (1) online gym or (2) coaching calls, while responders continue with the minimal Fitbit+EHR intervention. The primary outcome is ActiGraph-measured MVPA at 24 and 48 weeks. Secondary outcomes include symptom burden and functional performance at 24 and 48 weeks. This trial will inform development of an effective, scalable, and tailored intervention for survivors by identifying non-responders and providing them with the intervention augmentations necessary to increase MVPA and improve health outcomes. Clinical Trials Registration # NCT04262180.

Feasibility and acceptability of home-based strength training in endometrial cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Physical activity is important for healthy cancer survivorship, yet many endometrial cancer survivors do not participate in recommended muscle-strengthening activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of home-based muscle strengthening activity in endometrial cancer survivors. METHODS: Forty post-treatment endometrial cancer survivors were enrolled in a randomized trial, of twice-weekly home-based strength exercise versus wait-list control. The intervention included educational materials, exercise equipment (dumbbells, resistance bands), and support/feedback via video coaching sessions. Participants completed the exercises twice per week for 10 weeks, with a 5-week follow-up period. Feasibility was measured by program adherence, as well as safety of and satisfaction with the study. RESULTS: On average, participants were 60.9 years old (SD = 8.7), had a BMI of 39.9 kg/m2 (SD = 15.2), and were 2.9 years (SD = 1.2) since diagnosis. The majority (83%) had stage I disease at diagnosis. Seventy-five percent adhered to the exercise prescription of twice/week, with 85% of participants missing fewer than 3 of the workouts. Forty percent of participants continued workouts during the 5-week follow-up. Participants were highly satisfied with intervention. No injuries or adverse everts occurred. CONCLUSION: This home-based program was feasible in endometrial cancer survivors. While adherence was measured, future research should focus on long-term maintenance of exercise and should explore progressions and modifications of exercises at a distance for various abilities. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Muscle strengthening activities are recommended for all cancer survivors. This study shows that a home-based muscle strengthening exercise is feasible in endometrial cancer survivors.

A biobehavioral intervention to enhance recovery following hematopoietic cell transplantation: Protocol for a feasibility and acceptability randomized control trial.

Background: Insomnia, fatigue, and depression are among the most persistent and distressing concerns for hematologic cancer patients recovering from hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). This study will evaluate a novel behavioral intervention, Restoring Sleep and Energy after Transplant (ReSET), designed to alleviate insomnia, fatigue, and depression by improving rest-activity patterns. Evidence-based behavioral strategies to improve nighttime sleep and increase non-sedentary daytime activity will be combined to optimize 24-h rest-activity patterns. Methods: The protocol herein evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of ReSET by conducting a pilot randomized controlled trial to compare the intervention with usual care. Adults undergoing HCT will be randomly assigned to ReSET or usual care. The ReSET arm will receive 3 face-to-face sessions and telephone coaching delivered in an individual format tailored to each patient. Patient-reported insomnia, fatigue, and depression will be the primary outcome measures. Actigraphy will be used to objectively quantify rest-activity patterns. Semi-structured interviews will evaluate participant satisfaction with ReSET. The goals are to determine: (1) participant satisfaction with and acceptability of the behavioral techniques; (2) facilitator fidelity and participant uptake of key intervention components; (3) ability to recruit, retain, and collect complete data from participants; (4) participant willingness to be randomized and acceptability of the control condition; and (5) validity and acceptability of the assessment strategy. Conclusion: The overarching goal is to optimize recovery following HCT with a brief, non-invasive intervention that can be implemented as a part of routine clinical care.

The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) Program: An Infrastructure for Advancing Population Health.

Introduction: The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) was established in 2008 by the University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) with the goals of (1) providing a timely and accurate picture of the health of the state residents; and (2) serving as an agile resource infrastructure for ancillary studies. Today, the SHOW program continues to serve as a unique and vital population health research infrastructure for advancing public health. Methods: SHOW currently includes 5,846 adult and 980 minor participants recruited between 2008 and 2019 in four primary waves. WAVE I (2008-2013) includes annual statewide representative samples of 3,380 adults ages 21 to 74 years. WAVE II (2014-2016) is a triannual statewide sample of 1,957 adults (age ≥18 years) and 645 children (age 0-17). WAVE III (2017) consists of follow-up of 725 adults from the WAVE I and baseline surveys of 222 children in selected households. WAVEs II and III include stool samples collected as part of an ancillary study in a subset of 784 individuals. WAVE IV consists of 517 adults and 113 children recruited from traditionally under-represented populations in biomedical research including African Americans and Hispanics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Findings to Date: The SHOW resource provides unique spatially granular and timely data to examine the intersectionality of multiple social determinants and population health. SHOW includes a large biorepository and extensive health data collected in a geographically diverse urban and rural population. Over 60 studies have been published covering a broad range of topics including, urban and rural disparities in cardio-metabolic disease and cancer, objective physical activity, sleep, green-space and mental health, transcriptomics, the gut microbiome, antibiotic resistance, air pollution, concentrated animal feeding operations and heavy metal exposures. Discussion: The SHOW cohort and resource is available for continued follow-up and ancillary studies including longitudinal public health monitoring, translational biomedical research, environmental health, aging, microbiome and COVID-19 research.

Mortality risk and physical activity across the lifespan in endometrial cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Physical activity (pre- and post-diagnosis) has been studied in prevention and survivorship contexts for endometrial cancer. However, the association of physical activity (PA) across the lifespan on mortality risk among endometrial cancer survivors is understudied. The study's objective was to identify the association of lifetime PA on mortality risk in endometrial cancer survivors. METHODS: Seven hundred forty-five endometrial cancer survivors drawn from a population-based cancer registry (diagnosed between 1991 and 1994) reported the frequency (sessions/week) of moderate- and vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) at age 12, age 20, and 5 years pre-interview (post-diagnosis). Cox proportional hazards were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals for the association between PA, all-cause, and cardiovascular disease mortality as assessed in 2016. MVPA was modeled using natural cubic splines. RESULTS: Diagnosis age, body mass index, and smoking (pack-years) were each positively associated with increased all-cause mortality risk. Those who did one session of MVPA 5 years pre-interview had a lower mortality risk (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.41-0.92) compared to those with no MVPA. Those reporting one session of MVPA was similarly observed at age 12 (HR 0.95; 95% CI 0.86-1.06) and at age 20 (HR 0.87; 95% CI 0.65-1.16). CONCLUSION: Those who participated in PA, compared to those who did not, in the 5 years before diagnosis had a lower mortality risk. While PA was not independently protective against mortality risk at ages 12 or 20, PA is still important for endometrial cancer survivors for other non-mortality outcomes.

Exploration of patient and caregiver cancer education using electronic health records.

The objective of this short report was to describe types of education provided to older, hospitalized patients with cancer and their caregivers using electronic health record data. A total of 437 patients, representing 512 inpatient stays (admissions), met the inclusion criteria. The sample were predominately male (58%) and White (95%). The average patient age at first admission was 74 years (SD 6.21 years) and the average length of admission was 5 days (SD 3.41 days). Out of all admissions, 89% included at least one documented education session with a provider. Three important results emerged from this study 1) education on medications is commonly conveyed to cancer patients (77%), 2) nurses are primarily responsible for providing education (65%), and 3) caregivers are infrequently involved (41%) in patient education. Additional educational topics tailored to the long-term needs of older adults with cancer are warranted. These topics should be delivered by an array of interprofessional care providers with demonstrated competency. Lastly, patient education should ensure inclusion of caregivers as part of the interprofessional cancer care team to promote successful management of cancer-related concerns.

Improvements in strength and agility measures of functional fitness following a telehealth-delivered home-based exercise intervention in endometrial cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Endometrial cancer is strongly linked to obesity and inactivity; however, increased physical activity has important benefits even in the absence of weight loss. Resistance (strength) training can deliver these benefits; yet few women participate in resistance exercise. The purpose of this study was to describe both physiological and functional changes following a home-based strength training intervention. METHODS: Forty post-treatment endometrial cancer survivors within 5 years of diagnosis were enrolled in a pilot randomized trial, comparing twice-weekly home-based strength exercise to wait list control. Participants conducted the exercises twice per week for 10 supervised weeks with 5 weeks of follow-up. Measures included DXA-measured lean mass, functional fitness assessments, blood biomarkers, and quality of life outcomes. RESULTS: On average, participants were 60.9 years old (SD = 8.7) with BMI of 39.9 kg/m2 (SD = 15.2). At baseline, participants had 51.2% (SD = 6.0) body fat, which was not different between groups. Improvements were seen in the 30-s chair sit to stand (d = .99), the 30-s arm curl (d = .91), and the 8-ft up-and-go test (d = .63). No changes were measured for HbA1c or C-reactive protein. No changes were observed for flexibility (chair sit and reach, back scratch tests), 6-min walk test, maximum handgrip test, anxiety, depression, fatigue, or self-efficacy for exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based muscle-strengthening exercise led to favorable and clinically relevant improvements in 3 of 7 physical function assessments. Physical function, body composition, blood biomarkers, and patient-reported outcomes were feasible to measure. These fitness improvements were observed over a relatively short time frame of 10 weeks.

The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) Program: An infrastructure for Advancing Population Health Sciences.

PURPOSE: The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) was established in 2008 by the University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) with the goals of 1) providing a timely and accurate picture of the health of the state residents; and 2) serving as an agile resource infrastructure for ancillary studies. Today SHOW continues to serve as a vital population health research infrastructure. PARTICIPANTS: SHOW currently includes 5,846 adult and 980 minor participants recruited between 2008-2019 in four primary waves. WAVE I (2008-2013) includes annual statewide representative samples of 3,380 adults ages 21 to 74 years. WAVE II (2014-2016) is a triannual statewide sample of 1957 adults (age ≥18 years) and 645 children. WAVE III (2017) consists of follow-up of 725 adults from the WAVE I and baseline surveys of 222 children in selected households. WAVEs II and III include stool samples collected as part of an ancillary study in a subset of 784 individuals. WAVE IV consist of 517 adults and 113 children recruited from traditionally under-represented populations in biomedical research including African Americans and Hispanics in Milwaukee county, WI. FINDINGS TO DATE: The SHOW provides extensive data to examine the intersectionality of multiple social determinants and population health. SHOW includes a large biorepository and extensive health data collected in a geographically diverse urban and rural population. Over 60 studies have been published covering a broad range of topics including, urban and rural disparities in cardio-metabolic disease and cancer, objective physical activity, sleep, green-space and mental health, transcriptomics, the gut microbiome, antibiotic resistance, air pollution, concentrated animal feeding operations and heavy metal exposures. FUTURE PLANS: The SHOW cohort is available for continued longitudinal follow-up and ancillary studies including genetic, multi-omic and translational environmental health, aging, microbiome and COVID-19 research. ARTICLE SUMMARY: Strengths and limitations: The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) is an infrastructure to advance population health sciences including biological sample collection and broader data on individual and neighborhood social and environmental determinants of health.The extensive data from diverse urban and rural populations offers a unique study sample to compare how socio-economic gradients shape health outcomes in different contexts.The objective health data supports novel interdisciplinary research initiatives and is especially suited for research in causes and consequences of environmental exposures (physical, chemical, social) across the life course on cardiometabolic health, immunity, and aging related conditions.The extensive biorepository supports novel omics research into common biological mechanisms underlying numerous complex chronic conditions including inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolomics, and epigenetic modulation.Ancillary studies, such as the Wisconsin Microbiome Study, have expanded the utility of the study to examine human susceptibility to environmental exposures and opportunities for investigations of the role of microbiome in health and disease.Long-standing partnerships and recent participation among traditionally under-represented populations in biomedical research offer numerous opportunities to support community-driven health equity work.No biological samples were collected among children.The statewide sampling frame may limit generalizability to other regions in the United States.

Associations Among Sleep and Cancer Risk Behaviors: a Scoping Review of Experimental Studies in Healthy Adult Populations.

BACKGROUND: Links among poor sleep and cancer risk behaviors have been largely overlooked in the context of cancer prevention and behavioral medicine. The goal of this scoping review was to determine the extent and nature of experimental studies conducted with healthy adult populations that tested the associations among poor sleep and cancer risk behaviors. METHOD: Electronic databases and major sleep journals were searched to identify experimental studies in healthy adult samples published through January 2018. Studies examined associations among eight pairings of manipulated behaviors and outcomes ("independent variable (IV)-outcome pairs"): the impact of sleep manipulations on physical activity (PA), diet, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use outcomes; and the impact of PA, diet, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use manipulations on sleep outcomes. Studies were characterized in terms of sample characteristics; study design; IV type, dose, and duration; and outcome measurement and duration. RESULTS: Abstracts of 5697 papers and 345 full texts were screened. Eighty-eight studies describing 125 comparisons met inclusion criteria. Only two studies tested the association between tobacco use and sleep; none tested whether sleep influenced alcohol consumption. Sample sizes were typically small, most studies used crossover designs, and studies tended to include younger and more male participants. Within each IV-outcome pair, there was substantial heterogeneity in how behaviors were manipulated, outcome measurement, and type of control group. Few studies assessed mechanisms. CONCLUSION: There is a need for larger experimental studies with more representative samples. Overall, heterogeneity and limitations in study designs make it difficult to synthesize evidence across studies.

Effect of a technology-supported physical activity intervention on health-related quality of life, sleep, and processes of behavior change in cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This pilot trial tested the effect of adding a multi-level, technology-based physical activity intervention module to a standard survivorship care plan for breast and colorectal cancer survivors. The objective of this analysis was to determine whether the physical activity module improved health-related quality of life, sleep, and factors key to lasting behavior change (eg, social support, self-efficacy). METHODS: Breast and colorectal cancer survivors (n = 50) were enrolled alongside a support partner. Survivors were assigned to receive a standard survivorship care plan either alone or augmented by a 12-week multi-component physical activity module. The module included a Fitbit tracker (with the physical activity data integrated into the electronic health record for clinician review) and customized email feedback. Physical activity was measured using the ActiGraph GT3X+. Psychosocial outcomes included the SF-36, FACT, ISEL, PROMIS sleep measures, and physical activity beliefs. Data were analyzed using linear mixed modeling. RESULTS: Cancer survivors were aged 54.4 ± 11.2 years and were 2.0 ± 1.5 years from diagnosis. Relative to comparison, the intervention was associated with moderate-to-large improvements in physical health (effect size: d = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.0, 0.78), mental health (d = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.19, 0.99), sleep impairment (d = 0.62, 95% CI = -1.02, -0.22), and exercise self-efficacy (d = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.20, 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention delivered meaningful improvements in survivors' quality of life, social support, and sleep impairment. If replicated in a larger sample, adding a technology-supported physical activity module to survivorship care plans may be a practical strategy for supporting healthy survivorship. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov#: NCT02677389.

Breast cancer survivors' preferences for social support features in technology-supported physical activity interventions: findings from a mixed methods evaluation.

Incorporating peer and professional social support features into remotely delivered, technology-supported physical activity interventions may increase their effectiveness. However, very little is known about survivors' preferences for potential social features. This study explored breast cancer survivors' preferences for both traditional (e.g., coaching calls and peer support) and innovative (i.e., message boards and competitions) social support features within remotely delivered, technology-supported physical activity interventions. Survivors [N = 96; Mage = 55.8 (SD = 10.2)] self-reported demographic and disease characteristics and physical activity. A subset (n = 28) completed semistructured phone interviews. Transcribed interviews were evaluated using a thematic content analysis approach and consensus review. Following interviews, the full sample self-reported preferences for social features for remotely delivered physical activity interventions via online questionnaires. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Four themes emerged from interview data: (a) technology increases social connectedness; (b) interest in professional involvement/support; (c) connecting with similar survivors; and (d) apprehension regarding competitive social features. Quantitative data indicated that most survivors were interested in social features including a coach (77.1 per cent), team (66.7 per cent), and exercise buddy (57.3 per cent). Survivors endorsed sharing their activity data with their team (80.0 per cent) and buddy (76.6 per cent), but opinions were mixed regarding a progress board ranking their activity in relation to other participants' progress. Survivors were interested in using a message board to share strategies to increase activity (74.5 per cent) and motivational comments (73.4 per cent). Social features are of overall interest to breast cancer survivors, yet preferences for specific social support features varied. Engaging survivors in developing and implementing remotely delivered, technology-supported social features may enhance their effectiveness.

Longitudinal assessment of post-surgical physical activity in endometrial and ovarian cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity plays a key role in cancer survivorship. The purpose of this investigation was to (a) describe the post-surgical physical activity trajectories of endometrial (n = 65) and ovarian (n = 31) cancer patients and (b) identify clinical and demographic predictors of physical activity over time. METHODS: 96 participants wore an Actiwatch accelerometer for three days at each of three time points (one week, one month and four months) after surgical intervention for their endometrial or ovarian cancer diagnosis. Analyses were conducted using linear mixed effects regression modeling in SAS 9.4. RESULTS: For both tumor types, although physical activity levels increased with time after surgery, even at four months patients were performing only a small fraction of the 150 minutes of recommended weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity. At 1 week, subjects were completing on average 14 minutes/week (SD = 4) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, compared to 14 minutes/week (SD = 2) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at four months post-surgery (p < .05). Better self-rated health was associated with higher physical activity (p = 0.02) in endometrial cancer survivors only. BMI, age, surgery type and use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were not associated with activity over time. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that physical activity levels are different for those with better self-rated health, but those individuals are still insufficiently active. This study adds new information describing the trajectories and variables that influence physical activity in gynecologic cancer survivors after surgery and highlights the need for health promotion interventions in this population.

Building a physical activity intervention into clinical care for breast and colorectal cancer survivors in Wisconsin: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivorship care plans ("care plans") often recommend an active lifestyle yet are rarely accompanied by programs to help patients enact the prescribed behavior change. As a step towards bridging this gap, this trial tested the feasibility of augmenting care planning with a multi-level physical activity intervention. METHODS: Breast and colorectal cancer survivors were enrolled alongside a self-selected support partner (e.g., spouse, friend). Survivors received a care plan alone (comparison group) versus one augmented with a 12-week physical activity module (intervention group). For the intervention group dyads, both members received a multi-component program including Fitbit trackers, with the survivor's Fitbit linked to his/her electronic health record (EHR). Treating clinicians received periodic updates regarding the survivors' physical activity. The primary outcome was ActiGraph-measured physical activity, analyzed using mixed models. Feedback questionnaires were administered to participants and clinicians at 12 weeks. RESULTS: Survivors (n = 50) were 54.4 ± 11.2 years of age and 2.0 ± 1.5 years post-diagnosis. Survivors in the intervention group increased moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) by 69 ± 84 min/week vs. a 20 ± 71 min/week decrease in the comparison group (p = .001). Likewise, daily steps increased by 1470 ± 1881 vs. a 398 ± 1751 decrease (P = .002). Among responding clinicians, 100% looked at survivors' activity data within the EHR at least once and 80% said it provided insight into their patients' lifestyles. CONCLUSIONS: Augmenting a standard care plan with a multi-level, technology-based intervention increased physical activity among cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Technology-based approaches, including activity trackers, can be used by individuals to work towards an active lifestyle after cancer.

Dimensions of sedentary behavior and objective cognitive functioning in breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: To examine associations between dimensions of sedentary behavior and cognitive function in breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Sedentary behavior variables were measured using thigh-worn activPALs, and included total daily sitting time, time in long sitting bouts, sit-to-stand transitions, and standing time. Cognitive function was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Domain. Separate multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between sedentary behavior variables with the cognitive domain scores of attention, executive functioning, episodic memory, working memory, and information processing speed. RESULTS: Thirty breast cancer survivors with a mean age of 62.2 (SD = 7.8) years who were 2.6 (SD = 1.1) years since diagnosis completed study assessments. In multivariable linear regression models, more time spent standing was associated with faster information processing (b: 5.78; p = 0.03), and more time spent in long sitting bouts was associated with worse executive function (b: -2.82; p = 0.02), after adjustment for covariates. No other sedentary behavior variables were statistically significantly associated with the cognitive domains examined in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Two important sedentary constructs that are amenable to intervention, including time in prolonged sitting bouts and standing time, may be associated with cognitive function in breast cancer survivors. More research is needed to determine whether modifying these dimensions of sedentary behavior will improve cognitive function in women with a history of breast cancer, or prevent it from declining in breast cancer patients.

The Effects of Metformin and Weight Loss on Biomarkers Associated With Breast Cancer Outcomes.

Background: This study investigated the effects of metformin and weight loss on biomarkers associated with breast cancer prognosis. Methods: Overweight/obese postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (n = 333) were randomly assigned to metformin vs placebo and to a weight loss intervention vs control (ie, usual care). The 2 × 2 factorial design allows a single randomized trial to investigate the effect of two factors and interactions between them. Outcomes were changes in fasting insulin, glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP), estradiol, testosterone, and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG). The trial was powered for a main effects analysis of metformin vs placebo and weight loss vs control. All tests of statistical significance were two-sided. Results: A total of 313 women (94.0%) completed the six-month trial. High prescription adherence (ie, ≥80% of pills taken) ranged from 65.9% of participants in the metformin group to 81.3% of those in the placebo group (P < .002). Mean percent weight loss was statistically significantly higher in the weight loss group (-5.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -6.3% to -4.8%) compared with the control group (-2.7%, 95% CI = -3.5% to -1.9%). Statistically significant group differences (ie, percent change in metformin group minus placebo group) were -7.9% (95% CI = -15.0% to -0.8%) for insulin, -10.0% (95% CI = -18.5% to -1.5%) for estradiol, -9.5% (95% CI = -15.2% to -3.8%) for testosterone, and 7.5% (95% CI = 2.4% to 12.6%) for SHBG. Statistically significant group differences (ie, percent change in weight loss group minus placebo group) were -12.5% (95% CI = -19.6% to -5.3%) for insulin and 5.3% (95% CI = 0.2% to 10.4%) for SHBG. Conclusions: As adjuvant therapy, weight loss and metformin were found to be a safe combination strategy that modestly lowered estrogen levels and advantageously affected other biomarkers thought to be on the pathway for reducing breast cancer recurrence and mortality.

Greater fear of reinjury is related to stiffened jump-landing biomechanics and muscle activation in women after ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: Fear of reinjury is an important factor in determining who returns to sport following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Evidence from other musculoskeletal injuries indicates fear of reinjury may be related to stiffened movement patterns observed in individuals following ACLR. The relationship between fear of reinjury and performance on dynamic tasks, however, has not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fear of reinjury and jump-landing biomechanics. METHODS: Thirty-six females (height = 168.7 ± 6.5 cm, body mass = 67.2 ± 10.0 kg, age = 18.9 ± 1.5 years) with a history of ACLR (time from surgery = 26.1 ± 13.3 months) participated in the study. Each participant performed five trials of a standard jump-landing task. 3D motion capture and surface electromyography was used to record peak kinematics and lower extremity muscle activation on the injured limb during the jump landings. Spearman's rank correlations established the relationship between TSK-11 scores and each biomechanical variable of interest. RESULTS: There was a significant, negative relationship between fear of reinjury (TSK-11: 19.9 ± 4.5) and knee (p = 0.006), hip (p = 0.003), and trunk flexion (p = 0.013). There was also a significant, positive relationship between hip adduction (p = 0.007), and gluteus maximus preparatory activation (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that higher fear of reinjury is associated with stiffened movement patterns that are associated with increased risk of a second ACL injury. Similar movement patterns have been observed in patients with low back pain. Clinicians should evaluate psychological and emotional consequences of injury in addition to the physical consequences as they appear to be related. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Improving Hip-Worn Accelerometer Estimates of Sitting Using Machine Learning Methods.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to improve estimates of sitting time from hip-worn accelerometers used in large cohort studies by using machine learning methods developed on free-living activPAL data. METHODS: Thirty breast cancer survivors concurrently wore a hip-worn accelerometer and a thigh-worn activPAL for 7 d. A random forest classifier, trained on the activPAL data, was used to detect sitting, standing, and sit-stand transitions in 5-s windows in the hip-worn accelerometer. The classifier estimates were compared with the standard accelerometer cut point, and significant differences across different bout lengths were investigated using mixed-effect models. RESULTS: Overall, the algorithm predicted the postures with moderate accuracy (stepping, 77%; standing, 63%; sitting, 67%; sit-to-stand, 52%; and stand-to-sit, 51%). Daily level analyses indicated that errors in transition estimates were only occurring during sitting bouts of 2 min or less. The standard cut point was significantly different from the activPAL across all bout lengths, overestimating short bouts and underestimating long bouts. CONCLUSIONS: This is among the first algorithms for sitting and standing for hip-worn accelerometer data to be trained from entirely free-living activPAL data. The new algorithm detected prolonged sitting, which has been shown to be the most detrimental to health. Further validation and training in larger cohorts is warranted.