Effect of aerobic exercise on functional capacity in post operative breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Adjuvant therapy in patients with early stage breast cancer can increases patients’ overall health and survival rate but it also has some unwanted changes in patients’ life. Of all the symptoms experienced by patients due to adjuvant therapy, decreased physical activity is common which is having impact on their overall well-being and quality of life. Aerobic exercise training mostly involves activities with intensity that is light to moderate which sufficiently stimulate the aerobic metabolism so activities can be performed for prolonged period of time. Purpose The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of aerobic exercise training with conventional exercise on functional capacity in postoperative breast cancer patients who are receiving adjuvant therapy. Method A randomized controlled trial was conducted on stage I-III post operative breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy. Outcome measurement was 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) for functional capacity. Group A participants received aerobic exercise with conventional exercise for 8 weeks and Group B participants received conventional exercise alone daily for 8 weeks. Group A received training 3 times in a week with two supervised sessions and one unsupervised session for 8 weeks. Result Total of 55 participants were analyzed using appropriate test after testing for normal distribution. Changes in outcome measure was analysed within the group as well as between the groups. Group A participants (n=27) have shown significant improvement in functional capacity after the intervention. Group B participants (n=28) have shown no improvement in functional capacity. There was significant improvement in functional capacity in aerobic exercise group compared to conventional exercise group. Conclusion Aerobic exercise is effective for the management of functional capacity in post-operative breast cancer women receiving adjuvant therapy.