Open AccessAerobic Exercise Intensity in Breast Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Investigation
Author(s) -
Elizabeth S. Evans,
Cláudio L. Battaglini,
Diane Groff,
Anthony C. Hackney
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
integrative cancer therapies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1552-695X
pISSN - 1534-7354
DOI - 10.1177/1534735409335506
Subject(s) - medicine , heart rate , treadmill , breast cancer , aerobic exercise , blood lactate , intensity (physics) , exercise intensity , vo2 max , cardiology , cancer , blood pressure , physics , quantum mechanics
Purpose: This study compared the heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and blood lactate (BL) responses to aerobic exercise between posttreated breast cancer patients and apparently healthy, age-matched controls. Methods: Seven patients and 7 control subjects underwent a submaximal treadmill test for the estimation of Vo 2max . Exercise intensities of 40%, 60%, and 70% of Vo 2max were calculated from the treadmill test and randomly examined between groups during three 9-minute exercise bouts on 3 different days. Independent samples t tests were used to examine the HR, RPE, and BL responses at each intensity between groups. Results: No significant differences were observed between the control and patient groups for HR, RPE, and BL at 40% (101 ± 9 vs 101 ± 11 bpm, P = .979; 8 ± 1 vs 9 ± 3, P = .237; and 1.11 ± 0.73 vs 1.26 ± 0.64 mmol/L, P = .188, respectively) and 60% (127 ± 17 vs 117 ± 13 bpm, P = .523; 12 ± 2 vs 11 ± 3, P = .267, and 3.83 ± 2.48 vs 2.23 ± 1.65 mmol/L, P = .237, respectively) of Vo 2max . At 70% of Vo 2max , no significant differences were found for HR (151 ± 27 vs 135 ± 13 bpm, P = .704) and RPE (14 ± 1 vs 13 ± 3, P = .181), but lower BL responses were observed in the patient group (7.70 ± 1.62 vs 3.29 ± 1.08 mmol/L, P < .0005). Conclusions: The results suggest similar HR, RPE, and BL responses between patients and control subjects at 40%, 60%, and 70% of Vo 2max , except for BL at 70% of Vo 2max . The lower BL response in the patient group at 70% of Vo 2max was somewhat unexpected. Further research is needed to confirm or refute the results of this study to allow for a clearer understanding of the physiological responses of breast cancer patients to aerobic exercise at moderate or higher intensities so that safer aerobic exercise prescriptions can be developed for this population.