Effects of progressive aerobic exercise on the cardiopulmonary functions of premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer survivors

The incidence rate of breast cancer (BC) continues to rise as the survival rate is still poor in economically developing countries. Therapeutic approaches to improve cardiopulmonary functions and the survival rate of BC survivors are pressing concerns. This study investigated the effects of progressive aerobic exercise on the cardiopulmonary parameters of female BC survivors.Fifty-eight BC survivors with stage I, II and III breast cancer, referred from the Radiotherapy and Oncology Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, participated in the study and 48 of them completed it. The participants were randomly assigned to groups A and B and each group was further subdivided into subgroups 1 (premenopausal women) and 2 (postmenopausal women) based on their menopausal status. Group A underwent aerobic exercise using the treadmill and also had educational and counselling sessions while Group B had only educational and counselling sessions. Selected cardiopulmonary parameters were measured at baseline, 3rd ,6th , 9th and 12th weeks of intervention.Significant improvements were observed in the cardiovascular variables of Groups A (1&2) (Resting systolic blood pressure (RSBP) (A1 :p = 0.00*; A2 : p = 0.01*), Resting diastolic blood pressure (RDBP) (A1 : p = 0.03*; A2 : p = 0.01*), Resting rate pressure product (RRPP) (A 1: p = 0.01*; A2 : p = 0.00*). With the exception of SaO2 (p = 0.05*) of Group A2, changes in the pulmonary variables of Groups A(1&2) were not significant. No significant. differences were observed in the cardiovascular and pulmonary variables of Groups B(1&2).Aerobic exercise brought about significant therapeutic effects on selected cardiovascular parameters in female BC survivors.