Aerobic exercise for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy results of the first Austrian outpatient training

Objective: Aerobic exercise has positive effects on physical performance and illness-related quality of life of cancer patients. Results of the first Austrian aerobic exercise group for breast cancer outpatients during adjuvant oncological therapy are presented. Aim was to evaluate effects and feasibility of an aerobic exercise programme for breast cancer outpatients during adjuvant chemo- and/or radiation therapy in an Austrian medical center. Methods: Seven female patients (50 14 years) participated in an aerobic exercise programme during adjuvant chemo- and/or radiation therapy. One patient had to be excluded due to erysipelas. Before and after intervention (cycle ergometry at 60% of maximal heart rate, 12 weeks, 3x/week) endurance performance was determined by exercise testing and the patients filled in questionnaires to assess quality of life and to classify physical activity and subjective experienced benefit. Results: Despite adjuvant oncological therapies all patients performed the aerobic exercise with no adverse events and showed an improvement of endurance performance by 17.2% (+/-10.19, peak VO2-uptake) and by 25.5% (+/-16.18, VO2-uptake at treshold). Quality of life assessment revealed a significant improvement of emotional wellbeing. Patients showed excellent compliance and reported high experienced benefit due to the treatment. Conclusions: Present results of the first Austrian group underline the feasibility and indicate the benefit of aerobic exercise for breast cancer outpatients during adjuvant chemo- and/or radiation therapy in an Austrian medical center.