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Physical activity levels after treatment for breast cancer: one-year follow-up

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Abstract

Among patients with breast cancer, few studies have examined the pattern of change of physical activity levels over time or the predictive factors for this change. Particularly sparse are studies comparing pre-surgical physical activity levels with those 12 months post-surgery. Patients with a primary operable breast cancer (N = 267) filled in the Physical Activity Computerised Questionnaire before breast surgery and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-operatively. Patient-, disease- and treatment-related factors were prospectively collected. Total physical activity level and occupational, sport and household activity levels were significantly decreased the first month post-operatively and did not recover during the first year after surgery. ‘Being employed’ was a predictive factor for a larger decrease of the total activity level, comparing the pre-operative and 12 months post-surgery stages. Having a spouse, a pN2-3 lesion and over 20 lymph nodes dissected predicted a decrease in occupational activity. Advanced age and smoking behaviour predicted a decrease in sport activities, and not having a spouse predicted a decrease in household activities. This study showed that 1 year after breast cancer surgery, pre-operative physical activity levels were not recovered. Breast cancer patients, and in particular those at risk for a decreased physical activity level, should be identified, encouraged and guided to increase their activities.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (Applied Biomedical Research). We wish to thank all the patients participating in this study, to fill in the questionnaire at five different time points and to come to the hospital for the measurements of their arm. Furthermore, we would like to thank Shirli Roimi, Tinne Van Dyck and Julie Reyniers for helping with the collection of data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiotherapy, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Nele Devoogdt, Marijke Van Kampen & Inge Geraerts

  2. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Nele Devoogdt, Marijke Van Kampen & Inge Geraerts

  3. Department of Kinesiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Johan Lefevre

  4. Department of Health Care, Artesis University College of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Nele Devoogdt, Tina Coremans & Steven Truijen

  5. I-BioStat, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Universiteit Hasselt, Leuven, Belgium

    Steffen Fieuws

  6. Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, University Ghent, Ghent, Belgium

    Renaat Philippaerts

  7. Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic, University Hospitals Leuven and Faculty of Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Patrick Neven & Marie-Rose Christiaens

Authors
  1. Nele Devoogdt
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  2. Marijke Van Kampen
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  3. Inge Geraerts
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  4. Tina Coremans
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  5. Steffen Fieuws
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  6. Johan Lefevre
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  7. Renaat Philippaerts
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  8. Steven Truijen
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  9. Patrick Neven
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  10. Marie-Rose Christiaens
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nele Devoogdt.

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Devoogdt, N., Van Kampen, M., Geraerts, I. et al. Physical activity levels after treatment for breast cancer: one-year follow-up. Breast Cancer Res Treat 123, 417–425 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0997-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0997-6

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