A recent clinical trial has found that aerobic exercise can improve cognitive function and quality of life in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The study, called the Aerobic exercise and CogniTIVe functioning in women with breAsT cancEr (ACTIVATE) trial, was conducted in Ottawa and Vancouver, Canada, and included 57 women with stage I-III breast cancer who were beginning chemotherapy.
All women participated in 12-24 weeks of aerobic exercise, with 28 starting the exercise program when initiating chemotherapy and 29 starting after chemotherapy completion. Cognitive function assessments were conducted before chemotherapy initiation and after chemotherapy completion. Women who participated in the aerobic exercise program during chemotherapy self-reported better cognitive functioning and felt their mental abilities improved compared to those who received standard care without exercise.
The study’s lead author, Jennifer Brunet, PhD, from the University of Ottawa, noted that many women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer remain insufficiently active, and there are limited exercise programs tailored to their needs. The study’s findings strengthen the case for making exercise assessment, recommendation, and referral a routine part of cancer care. Dr. Brunet advocated for collaboration across various sectors to develop exercise programs specifically designed for women with breast cancer that are 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.
While neuropsychological testing revealed similar cognitive performance in the two groups after chemotherapy completion, the self-reported improvements in cognitive function and quality of life among women who participated in the aerobic exercise program during chemotherapy suggest that exercise may be a promising intervention for addressing chemo-brain or brain fog in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
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