Summary: Women who began an aerobic exercise program during chemotherapy for breast cancer reported improved cognitive function and quality of life compared to those who received standard care. Participants in the exercise group felt they could better concentrate and remember things, helping to reduce the effects of “chemo-brain.”
Although neuropsychological tests showed no significant differences between the groups, self-reports suggest exercise may help manage cognitive decline during treatment. These findings support the integration of exercise into cancer care to improve both mental and physical health.
Key Facts:
- Women who exercised during chemotherapy reported better cognitive function.
- Exercise could help alleviate “chemo-brain” symptoms, despite similar test results.
- Researchers advocate for tailored exercise programs for breast cancer patients.
Source: Wiley
Many women who receive chemotherapy experience a decreased ability to remember, concentrate, and/or think—commonly referred to as “chemo-brain” or “brain fog”—both short- and long-term.
In a recent clinical trial of women initiating chemotherapy for breast cancer, those who simultaneously started an aerobic exercise program self-reported greater improvements in cognitive function and quality of life compared with those receiving standard care.
The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
The study, called the Aerobic exercise and CogniTIVe functioning in women with breAsT cancEr (ACTIVATE) trial, included 57 Canadian women in Ottawa and Vancouver who were diagnosed with stage I–III breast cancer and beginning chemotherapy. All women participated in 12–24 weeks of aerobic exercise: 28 started this exercise when initiating chemotherapy and 29 started after chemotherapy completion.
Cognitive function assessments were conducted before chemotherapy initiation and after chemotherapy completion (therefore, before the latter group started the exercise program).
Women who participated in the aerobic exercise program during chemotherapy self-reported better cognitive functioning and felt their mental abilities improved compared with those who received standard care without exercise.
Neuropsychological testing—a performance-based method used to measure a range of mental functions—revealed similar cognitive performance in the two groups after chemotherapy completion, however.
“Our findings strengthen the case for making exercise assessment, recommendation, and referral a routine part of cancer care; this may help empower women living with and beyond cancer to actively manage both their physical and mental health during and after treatment,” said lead author Jennifer Brunet, PhD, of the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Brunet noted that many women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer remain insufficiently active, and there are limited exercise programs tailored to their needs.
“To address this, we advocate for collaboration across various sectors—academic, healthcare, fitness, and community—to develop exercise programs specifically designed for women with breast cancer,” she said.
“These programs should be easy to adopt and implement widely, helping to make the benefits of exercise more accessible to all women facing the challenges of cancer treatment and recovery.”
About this cancer, exercise, and cognition research news
Author: Sara Henning-Stout
Source: Wiley
Contact: Sara Henning-Stout – Wiley
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Aerobic exercise and Cognitive functioning in women with breast cancer (ACTIVATE): a randomized controlled trial” by Jennifer Brunet et al. Cancer
Abstract
Aerobic exercise and Cognitive functioning in women with breast cancer (ACTIVATE): a randomized controlled trial
Background
As the prevalence of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment rises, investigation into treatment options is critical. The objectives of this study were to test the effects of an aerobic exercise intervention initiated during chemotherapy compared to usual care (wait list control condition) on (1) objectively measured cognitive function and self-reported cognitive function, as well as on (2) the impact of cognitive impairment on quality of life (QOL) postintervention (commensurate with chemotherapy completion).
Methods
The Aerobic exercise and CogniTIVe functioning in women with breAsT cancEr (ACTIVATE) trial was a two-arm, two-center randomized controlled trial conducted in Ottawa and Vancouver (Canada). Fifty-seven women (Mage, 48.8 ± 10 years) diagnosed with stage I–III breast cancer and awaiting chemotherapy were randomized to aerobic exercise initiated with chemotherapy (nEX = 28) or usual care during chemotherapy with aerobic exercise after chemotherapy completion (nUC = 29).
The intervention lasted 12–24 weeks and consisted of supervised aerobic training and at-home exercise. The primary outcome was objective cognitive function measured via 13 neuropsychological tests (standardized to M ± SD, 0 ± 1); secondary outcomes of self-reported cognitive function and its impact on QOL were assessed via questionnaires. Data collected pre- and postintervention (the primary end point) were analyzed.
Results
Although no significant differences between groups were found for objective cognitive function outcomes postintervention after accounting for multiple testing, four of six self-reported cognitive function outcomes showed significant differences favoring the aerobic exercise group.
Conclusions
Among women initiating chemotherapy for breast cancer, aerobic exercise did not result in significant differences in objective cognitive function postintervention after chemotherapy completion; however, the results do support the use of this intervention for improving self-reported cognitive function and its impact on QOL.
