Barriers to Therapeutic Exercise in Breast Cancer Patients Before, During, and After Chemotherapy

University of Valencia

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Breast Cancer

Treatments: Drug: Chemotherapy

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06828614

UV-INV_ETICA-3253850

Details and patient eligibility

About

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality. First-choice cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, have increased the survival of people with cancer, although they are not without adverse effects such as cardiotoxicity, fatigue, nausea, mental health problems or musculoskeletal disorders.

Therapeutic exercise is a safe and effective intervention that has shown positive results in the oncology population when implemented as an adjuvant to chemotherapy, during or after chemotherapy. Exercise improves cardiorespiratory capacity, fatigue, strength, anxiety, depressive symptoms and quality of life, among others, in cancer patients.

In the implementation of therapeutic exercise in the oncologic population undergoing chemotherapy treatment, it is necessary to take into account possible barriers related to the perception of therapeutic exercise, as well as the side effects derived from chemotherapy. It is necessary to know the barriers to the implementation of exercise in order to address them and favor patients' adherence to exercise programs.

The objective is to identify the barriers (physical, contextual and emotional) that may influence people with breast cancer who are in the pre-, concurrent or post-treatment phase, respectively, of chemotherapy treatment for the implementation of therapeutic exercise.

The study participants (n=111) will be distributed in the study groups according to the moment of chemotherapy treatment they are in (1: pre-chemotherapy, 2: during chemotherapy, 3: post-chemotherapy).

Enrollment: 111 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Women over 18 years of age with a diagnosis of breast cancer, stages I to IIIa.
• The sample will be distributed to three groups according to the time of treatment in which the patients are: a) patients diagnosed with breast cancer scheduled to start chemotherapy treatment, b) patients who at the time of the study are receiving chemotherapy and c) patients who have completed chemotherapy treatment 6 months ago or more.

Exclusion criteria

• Women with breast cancer relapse and/or other types of cancer.
• Patients who are receiving hormonal therapy at the time of evaluation.
• Patients presenting metastatic processes or any other relevant disease.

Trial design

111 participants in 3 patient groups

Pre-chemotherapy

Description:

Group 1 will include patients diagnosed with breast cancer who are scheduled to start chemotherapy treatment.

Treatment:

Drug: Chemotherapy

During chemotherapy

Description:

Group 2 will include patients with breast cancer who at the time of the study are receiving chemotherapy treatment.

Treatment:

Drug: Chemotherapy

Post-chemotherapy

Description:

Group 3 will include patients with breast cancer who have completed chemotherapy treatment 6 months or more ago.

Treatment:

Drug: Chemotherapy