Predictors of women's attendance in a home-based adapted physical activity program during localized breast cancer treatment

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate predictors for attendance in a home-based adapted physical activity (APA) program for women with breast cancer during chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.

Methods: This retrospective study was based on two prospective studies (SAPA and APAC), including a total of 73 patients with localized breast cancer during their treatment period. The same APA program lasting 27 weeks was proposed and registered. It consisted of three physical activity sessions (two aerobic and one strength training) per week. The predictors (age, height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), VO_2peak, 6-min walking test distance (6MWT), fatigue (MFI), quality of life (EORTC-QLQ), anxiety and depression (HADS), and previous physical activity (IPAQ)) were evaluated before the APA program.

Results: According to the multivariate regression analysis, the baseline 6MWT distance and quality of life were predictive of good attendance in the APA program. The univariate analysis showed that initial VO_2peak, body weight, BMI, and fatigue influenced attendance in the APA program.

Conclusions: This study helps to better understand the profile of patients who would be participative or non-participative in an APA program. 6MWT distance and quality of life accounted for 19% of attendance in an APA program before the start of treatment. These correlations between the initial predictors of women with breast cancer and their attendance in the APA program during their treatment period make it possible to adapt physical activity professional practices to these patients.

Keywords: Adapted physical activity program; Attendance; Breast cancer; Predictors.