Aerobic and resistance exercise improves Reynolds risk score in overweight or obese breast cancer survivors

Kyuwan Lee,Christina M Dieli-Conwright,Kerry S Courneya,Nathalie Sami,Mary K Norris,Wendy Demark-Wahnefried,Debu Tripathy

doi:10.1186/s40959-020-00084-6

Abstract

BackgroundBreast cancer survivors have double the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease than age-matched women without a cancer history. Reynolds risk score (RRS) is a validated algorithm for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk. This secondary analysis sought to examine the effects of a 16-week aerobic and resistance exercise intervention on RRS in overweight or obese breast cancer survivors.Methods and resultsOne hundred overweight or obese (BMI > 25 kg/m2) breast cancer survivors were randomized to exercise or usual care. The exercise group underwent aerobic and resistance exercise sessions for 16 weeks. RRS was calculated using a validated equation. Group differences in mean change for RRS were evaluated using repeated-measures analyses of variance. Post-intervention, RRS was significantly reduced (7.9 ± 0.9% to 1.0 ± 0.5%; p < 0.001) in the exercise group compared to a significant increase (9.0 ± 0.8% to 11.6 ± 1.2%; p = 0.002%) in the usual care group (p < 0.01). RRS was significantly reduced in exercise vs usual care (between group difference, − 10.6; 95% CI, − 16.3 to − 7.4; p < 0.001).ConclusionA 16-week aerobic and resistance exercise intervention is an effective approach to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in breast cancer survivors. Exercise during cancer survivorship should be considered to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease risk in overweight women breast cancer survivors.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01140282. Registered 9 June 2010

Highlights

Breast cancer survivors have double the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease than agematched women without a cancer history
We previously reported significant improvements in Framingham risk score (FRS) following a 16-week resistance and aerobic exercise intervention resulting from the improvements in systolic blood pressure (SBP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC) in overweight or obese women with breast cancer [5]
We report the findings of an unplanned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing a progressive aerobic and resistance exercise intervention versus usual care on baseline to 4month changes in overweight or obese women with breast cancer

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer survivors have double the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease than agematched women without a cancer history. Reynolds risk score (RRS) is a validated algorithm for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk This secondary analysis sought to examine the effects of a 16-week aerobic and resistance exercise intervention on RRS in overweight or obese breast cancer survivors. We previously reported significant improvements in FRS following a 16-week resistance and aerobic exercise intervention resulting from the improvements in SBP, HDL-C, and TC in overweight or obese women with breast cancer [5]. We report the findings of an unplanned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing a progressive aerobic and resistance exercise intervention versus usual care on baseline to 4month changes in overweight or obese women with breast cancer. We hypothesized that a 16-week progressive aerobic and resistance exercise intervention would reduce RRS in sedentary, overweight or obese patients with early stage breast cancer compared to usual care

Methods

Results

Conclusion