The effects of a home-based physical activity intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer survivors; a randomised controlled trial

The aim of this current randomised controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a home-based physical Accepted 10 July 2017 activity (PA) intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer survivors. Thirty-two post-adjuvant therapy breast cancer survivors (age = 52 +/- 10 years; BMI = 27.2 +/- 4.4 kg.m(2)) were randomised to a six-month home-based PA intervention with face-to-face and telephone PA counselling or usual care. Cardiorespiratory fitness and self-reported PA were assessed at baseline and at six-months. Participants had a mean relative (V) over dotO(2) max of 25.3 +/- 4.7 ml.kg(-1).min(-1), which is categorised as "poor" according to age and gender matched normative values. Magnitude-based inference analyses revealed likely at least small beneficial effects (effect sizes >=.20) on absolute and relative (V) over dotO(2) max (d = .44 and .40, respectively), and total and moderate PA (d = .73 and .59, respectively) in the intervention compared to the usual care group. We found no likely beneficial improvements in any other outcome. Our home-based PA intervention led to likely beneficial, albeit modest, increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and self-reported PA in breast cancer survivors. This intervention has the potential for widespread implementation and adoption, which could considerably impact on post-treatment recovery in this population.