Exercise Communication for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract

Importance: Exercise may offer various clinical benefits to breast cancer survivors. However, exercise participation among survivors is low. Discussions about exercise can increase participation, but details regarding implementation of exercise communication for breast cancer survivors are unclear.

Objective: To examine the development and implementation of explicitly reported exercise communication for breast cancer survivors.

Evidence review: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was used. Six databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Communication and Mass Media Complete, and PsycINFO) were searched for articles describing exercise communication for female breast cancer survivors in any geographical location or setting published up to April 2024. Information about study and participant characteristics, exercise communication, and intervention components and effects were extracted.

Findings: Thirty-nine studies were included. Information consistent with exercise guidelines was communicated in 32 studies for aerobic exercise (82.1%) and 7 studies for muscle-strengthening exercise (17.9%). More studies communicated information about exercise benefits (20 [51.3%]) compared with exercise safety (3 [7.7%]). Studies included breast cancer survivors who were predominantly White (median [range], 85.5% [47.4%-98.7%]). Most included breast cancer survivors were educated (median percentage, 50.7% were college graduates) and had completed primary treatment (eg, median percentage, 66.7% had completed chemotherapy). Seventeen individualized (ie, tailored) information based on demographic or clinical characteristics (43.6%), and 5 considered contextual factors, such as the environment (12.8%). Most interventions reported an increase in exercise (19 of 21 [90.4%]). Heterogeneity in intervention design (eg, dietary advice or exercise trackers in addition to exercise information) and evaluation (eg, intervention length and outcomes) prevented quantitative synthesis of intervention effects.

Conclusions and relevance: In this systematic scoping review of exercise communication for breast cancer survivors, interventions including exercise communication appeared to show a favorable effect. However, data were limited about the development and implementation of these interventions among underrepresented breast cancer survivors. Interest in research involving exercise communication for breast cancer survivors in clinical settings remains strong.