Improving Cognitive Function Through High-Intensity Interval Training in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Neuroscience
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Chemotherapy often causes cognitive impairments, known as chemo-brain, affecting over 75% of breast cancer patients.
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) shows promise for enhancing cognitive function in healthy individuals.
• There is a lack of clinical trials examining exercise interventions for chemotherapy-induced cognitive decline in cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cognitive function in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
• To explore the potential of HIIT as an intervention to mitigate chemotherapy-related cognitive deficits.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial involving 50 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
• Participants were assigned to either a 16-week supervised HIIT program or an attention control group.
• Cognitive function was assessed using the National Institutes of Health toolbox, alongside MRI-based neuroimaging and other fitness and health markers.

Main Results:

• Recruitment began in June 2021, with 4 patients randomized as of May 2022.
• The trial is ongoing, with completion expected in January 2024.
• Preliminary data on efficacy is not yet available.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to integrate HIIT with comprehensive cognitive assessments in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
• Positive results would support HIIT's efficacy in improving chemotherapy-induced cognitive function.
• Findings will lay the groundwork for larger trials to establish HIIT as a potential standard of care.