The Effect of Non-Supervised Physical Activity before and after Breast Cancer Surgery on Quality of Life, Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial (PhysSURG-B)

Jenny Heiman1,2*, Aron Onerup3,4, David Bock3, Eva Haglind2,3 and Roger Olofsson Bagge1,2,5

1Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
2Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden
3Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group (SSORG), Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
4Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden
5Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

^*Correspondance to: Jenny Heiman 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.3341

Abstract

Purpose: The trial PhysSURG-B examined prehabilitation before breast cancer surgery by randomizing patients to a non-supervised physical activity or a control group. Within the trial, the effects on both short and long-term Quality of Life (QoL) was examined, with a pre-specified subgroup analysis of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: Female patients planned for surgery were randomly assigned to either an intervention of 30 min of self-administered physical aerobic activity daily 2 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery, or control. QoL was assessed with questionnaires at baseline, 4 weeks and 12 months post-op using the instruments FACT-B, RAND-36 and EQ-VAS. Results: Out of 354 included participants at 12 months after surgery, 287 were available for QoL analysis. FACT-B scores at 4 weeks and 12 months showed no differences between intervention compared to control, Odds Ratio (OR) of 0.975 and 0.883, respectively. There was no difference in EQ-VAS seen comparing intervention to control at 4 weeks and 12 months, respectively, OR=1.163 and 0.817. RAND-36 domains “role limitations due to physical health” and “pain” showed a decrease at 4 weeks in both groups, returning towards baseline at 12 months follow-up. The subgroup of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had significantly lower QoL measured using FACT-B at 12 months compared to patients not receiving chemotherapy (OR=0.475). Conclusion: An intervention of non-supervised physical activity before and after surgery for breast cancer had no effect on short or long-term QoL, neither in the subgroup of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT 02560662. Registered 25 September, 2015.

Keywords

Breast cancer; Surgery; Physical activity; Prehabilitation; Quality of life

Cite the article

Heiman J, Onerup A, Bock D, Haglind E, Bagge RO. The Effect of Non- Supervised Physical Activity before and after Breast Cancer Surgery on Quality of Life, Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial (PhysSURG-B). Clin Surg. 2021; 6: 3341..