Hormones and Physical Exercise (HOPE) Study
Breast Cancer, Arthralgia
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Breast Cancer
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Postmenopausal women (defined as the surgical or natural absence of menstrual cycles for at least 1 year prior to breast cancer diagnosis).
- 75 years or younger
- AJCC Stages I-IIIC Breast Cancer
- Taking an AI for at least 2 months
- Currently experiencing at least mild arthralgia (= or > 3 on the BPI) associated with AI use
- Physically able to exercise and physician consent to start an exercise program
- Sedentary activity pattern (< 90 mins/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity sports activity) within the past year and low fitness level
- No more than one strength training session per week within the past year
- Agrees to be randomly assigned to either exercise or attention control
- Gives informed consent to participate in all study activities
- Able to come for baseline, 6-, and 12-month clinic visits and strength training sessions (6-month intervention study - able to come for baseline, 6-month clinic visits and strength training sessions).
- Mentally competent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Lymphedema with self reported 'flare up' in the past 4 months
Sites / Locations
- Yale University
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Exercise
Attention Control (Health Education)
The exercise intervention group will receive social, behavioral support and research staff contact time to encourage them to increase their activity level to include twice weekly strength-training sessions and 150 min of walking/week (e.g., three 50-min walking sessions or five 30-min walking sessions) over 12 months.
The Attention Control Group will be provided written information that emphasizes the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Participants will be encouraged to follow the NCI and ACS physical activity guidelines. This procedure was followed in our exercise trials, with no increase in physical activity levels observed at follow-up among women in the usual care group. Attention Control participants will also receive frequent contacts throughout the 12 month intervention. Each month, women randomized to attention control will be contacted by phone to discuss a health education topic of interest