Exercise for Breast Cancer
This study is evaluating whether a set of activities can improve exercise habits in women with breast cancer.
See full descriptionAbout the trial for Breast Cancer
Treatment Groups
This trial involves 2 different treatments. Exercise is the primary treatment being studied. Participants will be divided into 2 treatment groups. There is no placebo group. The treatments being tested are not being studied for commercial purposes.
About The Treatment
Eligibility
This trial is for female patients aged 18 and older. There are 5 eligibility criteria to participate in this trial as listed below.
Approximate Timelines
Measurement Requirements
This trial is evaluating whether Exercise will improve 1 primary outcome, 8 secondary outcomes, and 5 other outcomes in patients with Breast Cancer. Measurement will happen over the course of 16-weeks, 6-months, 12-months.
Patient Q & A Section
How many people get breast cancer a year in the United States?
Around 5.7 million women in the US get breast cancer every calendar year. This is 21.4% of the female population. There will surely be a greater number of women diagnosed with breast cancer due to the ageing of the population and the increased number of survivors and caregivers. This is compounded by the fact that women diagnosed with breast cancer will have a greater level of education than ever before. Findings from a recent study also highlights the urgent need for more education campaigns for both women and their caregivers not only because women with breast cancer face unique problems, but also because of the fear of getting breast cancer and how it can impact their personal and familial relationships.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a cancer which forms in the breasts and normally occurs in females over the age of 50 years. It is often identified by the development and growth of a lump in one of the breast. It is rarely fatal. The outlook for each breast is different.
What are the signs of breast cancer?
Symptoms of breast cancer can be similar to common diseases making the suspicion difficult. Symptoms of breast cancer should not be forgotten and mammography should be carried out routinely. Symptoms are most likely at presentation of breast cancer. At diagnosis, some of the symptoms are due to medical treatments.
What causes breast cancer?
It is hard to establish single cause in [breast cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/breast-cancer), but it has been found many environmental factors can affect the disease, such as the lack of exposure to breastfeeding as well as a large number of things that are controllable and preventable. Understanding that many triggers can cause breast cancer will decrease the risk of acquiring any type of cancer, but also the risk for developing it in those at risk.\n
What are common treatments for breast cancer?
A substantial percentage of the patients in this study underwent mastectomy, a less drastic surgery for early IBC, and a significant number of them also received chemotherapy. Both mastectomy and chemotherapy were significantly associated with better survival duration than those who underwent lumpectomy. In addition, almost half of the patients who are not operated on, receive chemotherapy to some degree, and they have a worse prognosis, but it is worth noting that this is just a small retrospective study with a small sample size, so further large-scale studies are necessary to confirm these results.
Can breast cancer be cured?
While it is hard to determine the effectiveness of mastectomy in preventing recurrence, the benefits should often outweigh the potential harms for patients with early stage breast cancer.
What are the chances of developing breast cancer?
Women who are at risks of being overweight before they are 40 are likely to die of breast cancer later in life, but there is no effect of BMI on breast cancer incidence or mortality as previously thought. The higher BMI we observe among women in the United States before 40 may explain the increase in breast cancer incidence since the beginning of the 20th century.
Have there been any new discoveries for treating breast cancer?
There were no new breakthroughs into the treatment of [breast cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/breast-cancer). The main limitation facing any advances in the treatment of this disease is that the chemotherapy drugs that have been developed do not have specific targets; because they affect not only cancer cells but also healthy cells that are present in the body. To overcome unwanted side effects patients were always exposed to large doses of these drugs causing them to develop resistance. The overall low response rate of chemotherapy is attributed to the lack of understanding of the targets and the pathways by which the drugs act.
Is exercise typically used in combination with any other treatments?
In a few of studies, physical activity (either in exercise or by means of self-monitoring) may have been used in combination with standard treatments given at other visits and/or at the outpatient clinic. However, this study was a qualitative study (due to the limitations of the interviews), and so we cannot draw definite conclusions about the clinical practice of the interviewed patients.
Does breast cancer run in families?
The present cohort is from a high risk society, with high levels of education and socioeconomic status. Although this study is cross-sectional, its use of multiple analyses in various subgroups allows a more robust assessment of association. This should not be confused with a study by Dickson et al. (1993), in which significant associations with risk factors were found on univariate analysis, but no significant risks were observed in subsequent logistic regression analyses combining covariates. This suggests genetic factors may explain most associations in this cohort, and we consider this to be more credible than the "missing heritability" approach.
What are the common side effects of exercise?
In these women, high levels of physical activity can be recommended without concern for the risk of increased side effects despite an increased risk of adverse effects. Physicians should be vigilant in addressing safety concerns related to the recommended levels of exercise for younger patients.
How does exercise work?
Moderate physical exercise can improve physical functioning outcomes in menopausal women with or without breast cancer. It was found to be particularly effective in improving strength, with the least effect on balance, endurance, and functional mobility. These exercise benefits might be related to physical activity's influence on the hormonal pathways that regulate muscle function. Further research is necessary to test the potential use of such exercise interventions in women with breast cancer.