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Dimensions of physical activity and their relationship to physical and emotional symptoms in breast cancer survivors

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Abstract

Background

Many breast cancer survivors experience long term sequelae, including fatigue, decreased physical functioning, pain, and psychological distress. Physical activity can ameliorate these problems, but there is little research on how activity should be performed to be most beneficial. This study explores how dimensions of physical activity (total energy expenditure, frequency, and duration) are associated with symptoms among breast cancer survivors.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of data on physical activity behavior and symptoms in a cross-sectional study (n = 148) of breast cancer survivors who were off treatment and had been diagnosed within the past 5 years.

Results

Multivariate analyses showed that total energy expenditure was associated with better general health (p = 0.006) and fewer depressive symptoms (p = 0.014), while frequency of activity was linearly related to physical functioning (p = 0.047), pain (0.057), general health (p < 0.001), and depressive symptoms (p < 0.001). Duration was related to physical functioning, pain, and general health, but the worst outcomes were reported by the participants with the shortest and longest duration of activity (quadratic trend p values = 0.002, 0.003, 0.008, respectively).

Discussion/Conclusions

Greater total energy expenditure, higher physical activity frequency, and moderate duration were associated with better outcomes for most symptoms, although there was no relationship between any of the dimensions of physical activity and fatigue.

Implications for cancer survivors

The association of better outcomes with higher energy expenditure, higher frequency of activity, and moderate duration indicates that increasing activity through multiple short bouts may be the most beneficial for breast cancer survivors. However, randomized studies are needed to confirm this finding.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by a grant from the National Cancer Institute R21 CA89519, Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, and by a cancer prevention fellowship from National Cancer Institute grant R25 CA57730, Robert M. Chamberlain, Ph.D., Principal Investigator.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 301439, Unit 1330, Houston, TX, 77230-1439, USA

    Karen Basen-Engquist, Daniel Hughes, Heidi Perkins, Eileen Shinn & Cindy Carmack Taylor

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Correspondence to Karen Basen-Engquist.

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Basen-Engquist, K., Hughes, D., Perkins, H. et al. Dimensions of physical activity and their relationship to physical and emotional symptoms in breast cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv 2, 253–261 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-008-0067-9

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