Two-year follow-up of the OptiTrain randomised controlled exercise trial.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine if there were any differences in health-related outcomes and physical activity (PA) between the two OptiTrain exercise groups and usual care (UC), 2 years post-baseline. METHODS: The OptiTrain study was a three-arm randomised controlled trial comparing 16 weeks of concurrent aerobic high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and progressive resistance exercise (RT-HIIT) or concurrent HIIT and continuous moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (AT-HIIT) to UC in 206 patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Eligible participants were approached 2 years following baseline to assess cancer-related fatigue, quality of life, symptoms, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass, PA, sedentary behaviour, and sick leave. RESULTS: The RT-HIIT group reported lower total cancer-related fatigue, (- 1.37, 95% CI - 2.70, - 0.04, ES = - 0.06) and cognitive cancer-related fatigue (- 1.47, 95% CI - 2.75, - 0.18, ES = - 0.28), and had higher lower limb muscle strength (12.09, 95% CI 3.77, 20.40, ES = 0.52) than UC at 2 years. The AT-HIIT group reported lower total symptoms (- 0.23, 95% CI - 0.42, - 0.03, ES = - 0.15), symptom burden (- 0.30, 95% CI - 0.60, - 0.01, ES = - 0.19), and body mass - 2.15 (- 3.71, - 0.60, ES = - 0.28) than UC at 2 years. CONCLUSION: At 2 years, the exercise groups were generally experiencing positive differences in cancer-related fatigue (RT-HIIT), symptoms (AT-HIIT), and muscle strength (RT-HIIT) to UC. The findings provide novel evidence that being involved in an exercise program during chemotherapy can have long-term benefits for women with breast cancer, but that strategies are needed to create better pathways to support patients to maintain physical activity levels. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT02522260. Trial registered on 9 June 2015. https//clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02522260 . Retrospectively registered.