Effects of Supervised Exercise during Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Tumor Response in Patients with Breast Cancer...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Pre-clinical studies suggest physical exercise can improve chemotherapy efficacy.
• Clinical trials are necessary to validate these findings in human subjects.
• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is a standard treatment for breast cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if an exercise program during NACT improves tumor response in breast cancer patients.
• To assess the impact of exercise on tumor size, radiologic, and pathologic complete response.
• To evaluate secondary outcomes including clinical, biological, physical, and patient-reported measures.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (Neo-train) compared usual care (CON) with supervised exercise (EX) during NACT.
• The exercise group (EX) underwent high-intensity interval and progressive resistance training thrice weekly.
• Tumor size via MRI was the primary outcome; secondary outcomes included treatment completion and patient-reported data.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in median tumor size change between exercise and control groups.
• Similar rates of radiologic and pathologic complete response were observed in both groups.
• The exercise program led to higher chemotherapy dose intensity, fewer delays, shorter hospital stays, and improved cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength.

Conclusions:

• Exercise during NACT did not enhance tumor response in breast cancer patients.
• The exercise intervention demonstrated benefits in chemotherapy completion and reduced hospitalizations, suggesting improved treatment tolerance.
• Further research may explore optimal exercise protocols to maximize oncologic and supportive care benefits.