Exercise and breast cancer survival

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  Dec, 2005  by Tori Hudson

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

Holmes M et al. Physical activity and survival after breast cancer diagnosis. JAMA 2005;293:2479-2486

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Investigators analyzed breast cancer recurrence and mortality according to the level of physical activity after the diagnosis of breast cancer from the Nurses' Health Study: 2987 nurses completed the questionnaires on physical activity at a median of 3.2 years after diagnosis, who had stage I, II or III breast cancer. Exercise levels were assessed as metabolic equivalent task (MET) hours per week. One hour per week of walking is equivalent to 3 MET hours per week.

Women who exercised < 3 MET hours per week were the reference group. The risk for breast cancer mortality was found to be reduced in women who did 3-8.9 MET hours per week. It was significantly reduced if 9-14.9 MET hours per week, (RR=0.50), if 15-23.9 MET hours per week (RR=0.56), and if 24 or greater MET hours per week (RR=0.60). Overall survival and breast cancer recurrence were generally similar. Regardless of the stage of disease, exercise improved breast cancer survival but was most beneficial for women with stage III breast cancer initially. The benefit also appeared to be in women with hormone receptor positive disease.

Comments

Walking a minimum of 3 hours per week was able to significantly improve recurrence rates among stage I, II and II hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients. We know that exercise can reduce estrogen and androgen levels in overweight postmenopausal women. We also know that increased physical activity later in life can reduce the risk for breast cancer as well. The current study, as well as these previous findings, accentuate the suggestion that improved breast cancer survival can be accomplished with exercise, at least for hormone dependent cancers.

by Tori Hudson, ND

Dr. Hudson is Professor, NCNM; clinical professor, Bastyr U/SCNM; Medical Director, A Woman's Time

2067 N.W. Lovejoy * Portland, Oregon 97209 USA

503-222-2322 * womanstime@aol.com

COPYRIGHT 2005 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group