Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Published on: July 3, 2014
Protective effects of exercise on cardiotoxicity induced by breast cancer treatments: A systematic review and
Alicia Fernández-Casas1, Raquel Leirós-Rodríguez2, Pablo Hernandez-Lucas1
1Functional Biology and Health Sciences Department, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.
Objective:
Currently, one of the main causes of death in women with breast cancer is cardiovascular disease caused by the oncologic therapies. Exercise has demonstrated positive effects on cardiovascular fitness in individuals without cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of exercise in women with breast cancer, during and after the application of their treatments.
Methods:
Systematic search was done in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and PEDro. The articles must have been published in the last ten years; the intervention to be evaluated was to consist of an exercise program; the sample had to comprise women who were undergoing breast cancer treatment or who had completed it at the time of the intervention; and the outcome variables had to include at least one parameter for the assessment of cardiac function and/or structure.
Results:
Of the 28 articles identified, nine reported non-randomized controlled studies, 16 randomized clinical trials and three quasi-experimental studies. The effects of exercise on left ventricular ejection fraction, global longitudinal strain and the E/A waveforms ratio were not significant. However, its effect on VO2max was significant.
Conclusions:
Exercise does not seem to be effective in avoiding the cardiotoxic effects of oncological treatment for breast cancer. Although exercise seems to mitigate the symptomatology, reflected in improved functional capacity, more long-term studies are needed.
Prospero Registration Code:
CRD42023391441.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
Exercise Stress Test
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

