Long Term Effects of a Social Capital-Based Exercise Adherence Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors With Moderate Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study reports on the long-term effects of the Better Life After Cancer: Energy, Strength, and Support (BLESS) program, a 12-week social capital-based exercise adherence program for breast cancer survivors (BCS), implemented using a randomized controlled trial design. The study investigated outcomes related to cancer-related fatigue (CRF), quality of life (QOL), physical activity, depression, anxiety, sleep quality, and social capital. METHODS: Participants who had moderate or greater CRF were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 24), consisting of supervised and home-based exercise, or the control (n = 26), who received exercise leaflets. Generalized estimating equations models were fitted for the outcome variables. The assessment points were baseline (M1), immediately after completing the intervention at 12 weeks (M2), 1 month (M3), and 6 months post-intervention (M4). RESULTS: A significant reduction in the total CRF score was found for both groups. We observed a significant time by group effect at M2, indicating a reduction of behavioral/severity CRF scores and a higher increase of physical activity. Also, there was an increase in the QOL score of both groups at M2, M3, and M4, compared to M1. Both groups had reduced anxiety at M3 and M4 compared to M1. The time by group effect for depression, sleep quality and social capital was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This 12-week exercise adherence program improved behavioral/severity CRF and physical activity post-intervention. Both the experimental group and control group showed significant improvements in CRF, QOL, and anxiety domains compared to the baseline, which extended to 6 months post-intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Korean Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0005763).

Objectively measured physical activity during chemotherapy in colon cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Although adjuvant chemotherapy can have an impact on physical activity (PA), PA level has not been studied in patients with stage II-III colon cancer. This study investigated PA levels during and between chemotherapy cycles. METHODS: We objectively measured PA levels for 2 weeks during the 2nd and 11th chemotherapy cycles. In addition, self-reported PA levels were assessed before chemotherapy initiation, during 2nd, 6th, and 12th chemotherapy cycles. This study included 22 men and 33 women with stage II-III colon cancer patients (57 ± 9 years). RESULTS: Before the initiation of chemotherapy, most cancer patients were minimally active. Compared with the 1st week of chemotherapy, moderate- and light-intensity PA levels significantly increased during the 2nd week of chemotherapy. Patients increased moderate- and light-intensity PA from 217.4 to 290.3 min per week and from 585.7 to 657.8 min per week, respectively (p < 0.01). PA levels did not show any difference between the 2nd and 12th cycles when objectively measured, or between baseline and 2nd, 6th, and 12th cycles when self-reported. CONCLUSION: PA levels during chemotherapy cycles are initially low, and then increase towards the end of the cycle; however, PA levels do not change between chemotherapy cycles. Future work with broader and larger samples size is recommended.

Reduced plasma glucose and leptin after 12 weeks of functional electrical stimulation-rowing exercise training in spinal cord injury patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of exercise training with a functional electrical stimulation (FES) rowing machine on insulin resistance, plasma leptin levels, and body composition in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Experimental study. SETTING: A fitness and research center for people with disabilities. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy male participants with paraplegia (N=6) participated in the study (mean age, 48.6±6y; mean weight, 70.06±3.28kg; injury levels between T4-5 and T10). INTERVENTIONS: Twelve weeks of FES-rowing exercise training 3 to 4 times a week (600-800kcal). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak oxygen consumption, plasma leptin, insulin, and glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, body composition. RESULTS: Twelve weeks of FES-rowing training improved aerobic fitness significantly (P=.048). In addition, plasma glucose and leptin levels were significantly decreased after exercise training by 10% and 28% (P<.028), respectively. A trend toward fat mass reduction was seen in 4 of the 6 subjects; this change did not reach statistical significance (P=.08). CONCLUSION: A 12-week training program that included FES rowing improved aerobic fitness and fasting glucose and leptin levels in the absence of significant change to body composition, fasting insulin levels, or calculated insulin sensitivity in people with SCI.