Nutritional symptom and body composition outcomes of aerobic exercise in women with breast cancer

Abstract

The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the nutritional symptoms and body composition outcomes of aerobic exercise in women with breast cancer. A single-blind clinical trial, randomized to tailored Pro-Self(©) exercise during and after chemotherapy, after chemotherapy only, or no Pro-Self (usual care). One hundred women, average age 49.9 years (SD = 9.6), participated. Mild taste changes, nausea, constipation, and anorexia were experienced by 47% to 55% at baseline and end of treatment but diminished post treatment. No group differences were found in total nutritional symptoms or symptom severity. Intervention group participants maintained lean body mass; control group participants had nonsignificant lean body mass loss. Issues related to self-report, protocol adherence, and generalizability limit findings. Aerobic exercise is useful in achieving healthy weight and body composition, but the intensity and duration achieved during cancer treatment and recovery did not produce significant changes.