The Impact of Lifestyle Interventions in Breast Cancer Women after Completion of Primary Therapy: A Randomized Study.

Abstract

Objective: Many breast cancer survivors have unmet physical and psychological needs. Therefore, current study aimed to evaluate the impact of a lifestyle interventions program on fatigue, quality of sleep, quality of life (QoL), and body mass index (BMI) in women with breast cancer.

Materials and methods: This randomized controlled trial study (RCT) was carried between 2012 and 2015, and included 80 women with breast cancer. They were divided into two groups via a random allocation process: 40 women were allocated to the lifestyle interventions group, and 40 to the control group. Women in the lifestyle group received dietary energy-restriction training and practiced supervised aerobic exercises for 45-60 minutes three times per week throughout 24 weeks and the control group continued their routine life.

Results: Differences between the two groups were significantly high for those who participated in the intervention group; this group reported significantly less fatigue, less BMI, improved QoL and better quality of sleep as compared to the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors may physically and psychologically benefit from participating in a healthy lifestyle interventions program. This program can help relieve fatigue, maintain healthy BMI, improve QoL and enhance the quality of sleep in women with breast cancer. Lifestyle interventions program may provide a non-pharmacologic adjunctive therapy for symptom management in breast cancer survivors.