Group-based Exercise Therapy Improves Psychosocial Health and Physical Fitness in Breast Cancer Patients in Hawai'i

Cancer diagnosis and treatment often negatively impact quality of life, worsening prognosis, and long-term survival in cancer patients. Rehabilitation is effective at reversing cancer-related effects, but these services are not standardized. An implementation study was conducted to determine the usability and efficacy of group-based exercise therapy delivered from an outpatient therapy clinic. Thirty breast cancer patients (mean age ± standard deviation [SD],= 55 ± 10 years) completed 36 90-minute group-based exercise sessions in small groups. Team-based exercises were used to foster peer interaction and social support. Usability was evaluated with participant feedback, adherence, and occurrence of adverse events. Effectiveness was measured with the Revised Piper Fatigue, the City of Hope Quality of Life (QOL), and the Beck Depression Inventories. Paired t-tests and 2-way ANOVAs were used to detect significance (P<.05); Cohen's d was used to measure effect size. Twenty-five patients completed the program; they reported that they liked the program design. One anticipated, moderate adverse event occurred. The intervention improved fatigue and QOL, where significant main effects of time were detected [Fatigue: (F(1,76)=29.78, P <.001); QOL: (F(1,80)=24.42, P<.0001)]. Improvements in the fatigue inventory's behavioral/security and sensory dimensions (Cohen's d=-0.43 and ȡ0.68, respectively) and the physical dimension of the QOL inventory were detected (Cohen's d=0.92). There were no significant changes in depression (P=.0735). Seven patients continued to participate in exercise classes for 2.5-years post-intervention, demonstrating achievability of program maintenance. Providing group-based exercise therapy services at an outpatient clinic is an effective and practical approach to improve cancer patients' QOL.