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Quality Of Life For People With Breast Cancer Improved By Exercise |
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Quality Of Life For People With Breast Cancer Improved By Exercise
Group exercise sessions can help to improve the physical and
psychological wellbeing of people diagnosed with breast cancer, a new BMJ study reveals today.
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer among women in the
UK. Treatment for cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can
badly affect quality of life. However, current cancer rehabilitation
programmes are mainly based on psychotherapy or social support, and do
not generally deal with the physical problems encountered by patients.
Researchers from Scotland set out to determine if group exercise
programmes could prove beneficial to women who were having treatment
for early stage breast cancer. Over 200 women took part in the study.
They were split into two separate groups; the first (control group)
received their usual care, whilst the second group received their usual
care plus were invited to take part in a 12 week programme of exercise
sessions. Participants in the second group were encouraged to attend
two classes - led by trained exercise specialists - and undertake one
additional exercise session at home each week.
Following the 12 week session, the researchers analysed the physical
and psychological wellbeing of the participants by measuring a number
of factors, such as levels of depression, quality of life, mood,
shoulder mobility, walking distances and weekly levels of physical
activity. These factors were measured after 12 weeks and six months
later.
Participants in the second group had better outcomes on both a physical
and psychological level than those who had not taken part in the
exercise programme, both at the 12 week and six month assessments.
Also, after six months those who had exercised had made fewer visits to
their GP, and spent fewer nights in hospital, than the participants in
the control group.
The researchers say that the benefits experienced by the women may have
been caused by the exercise itself or by the group experience, or a
combination of both. They conclude that clinicians should encourage
activity during cancer treatment for patients, and policy makers should
consider including opportunities for exercise in cancer rehabilitation
services.
Contact: Emma Dickinson
BMJ-British Medical Journal
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