Open AccessCardiorespiratory Fitness in Breast Cancer Patients: A Call for Normative Values
Author(s) -
Peel Amanda B.,
Thomas Samantha M.,
Dittus Kim,
Jones Lee W.,
Lakoski Susan G.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the american heart association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.494
H-Index - 85
ISSN - 2047-9980
DOI - 10.1161/jaha.113.000432
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiorespiratory fitness , breast cancer , cancer , oncology , population , adjuvant , physical therapy , environmental health
Background There is emerging evidence that adjuvant treatments for breast cancer negatively impact cardiorespiratory fitness ( CRF ) or Vo 2max , a key predictor of cardiovascular risk. Although a number of studies have measured CRF in breast cancer patients, there is currently limited data regarding expected CRF values in this patient population. Given that CRF is a poor prognostic sign and recently highlighted as a key measure to standardize by the A merican H eart A ssociation, we sought to review the available literature on CRF among breast cancer patients. Methods and Results We identified 27 clinical trials and observational studies measuring Vo 2max in the pre– and post–adjuvant treatment setting for breast cancer. We compared Vo 2max before to Vo 2max after adjuvant therapy and compared Vo 2max in female breast cancer patients with Vo 2max in healthy controls. Conclusions We found that CRF was substantially lower in women with a history of breast cancer compared with healthy women and this was most pronounced among breast cancer patients in the post‐adjuvant setting. We conclude that knowledge of normative CRF values is critical to tailor appropriately timed exercise interventions in breast cancer patients susceptible to low CRF and subsequent cardiovascular risk.