Abstract
BackgroundAnthracycline-based chemotherapy is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer patients. High intensity interval training (HIIT) induces greater benefits on cardiorespiratory fitness than moderate continuous aerobic exercise in patients with heart failure. The study purpose was to determine whether a HIIT intervention is a feasible exercise strategy for breast cancer patients undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy.MethodsThirty women were randomized to either HIIT or non-exercise control group (CON). Participants performed a maximal cycling fitness test to measure peak power output during maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). The HIIT group participated in an 8-week HIIT intervention occurring 3 times weekly. Feasibility was calculated by computing (1) the average weekly minutes of HIIT over 8 weeks and (2) the number of sessions attended and multiplied by 100 (percentage of sessions). The intervention was considered feasible if more than 50% of participants completed both an average of 70% of weekly minutes (63/90 min) and attended 70% exercise sessions (17/24 sessions).ResultsParticipants were 46.9 ± 9.8 (mean ± SD) years old, diagnosed with clinical stage II (30%) or III (63%) breast cancer. The average weekly minutes of exercise completed was 78 ± 5.1 out of 90 min. Twelve of 15 participants met both feasibility criteria, attending 19.2 ± 2.1 out of 24 sessions (82.3%). VO2max was maintained (19.7 ± 8.7 to 19.4 ± 6.6 ml/kg/min) in HIIT group (p = 0.94) while there was a significant decrease in VO2max (18.7 ± 7.1 to 16.1 ± 6.0 ml/kg/min) in CON group from baseline to 8 weeks (p = 0.001).ConclusionsHIIT is a feasible exercise intervention to maintain VO2max in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy.Trial registrationThe protocol and informed consent were approved by the institutional IRB (HS-12-00227) and registered (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02454777; date of registration: May 272,015).
Highlights
Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer patients
While the previous studies showed that aerobic exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, these trials have failed to identify the optimal type, timing, and intensity of exercise intervention in these patients undergoing anthracyclinebased chemotherapy [10, 11]
Our pilot study was the first to explore the feasibility of implementing High intensity interval training (HIIT) based on peak power output (PPO) in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy
Summary
Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer patients. High intensity interval training (HIIT) induces greater benefits on cardiorespiratory fitness than moderate continuous aerobic exercise in patients with heart failure. The study purpose was to determine whether a HIIT intervention is a feasible exercise strategy for breast cancer patients undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Exercise interventions have been utilized in breast cancer patients undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy to reduce some of these adverse effects [7,8,9]. HIIT includes intervals of low to high intensity aerobic exercise, and has been demonstrated to induce greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness than moderate continuous aerobic exercise in patients with heart failure [12] and stroke [13]. HIIT may be a effective form of exercise for breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy
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