RISE - Reduce Sitting Time Among Breast Cancer Survivors

This 3-month study will test whether a program to reduce sitting time, for breast cancer survivors experiencing some physical limitations, can improve their physical function and other important aspects of quality of life.

Many cancer survivors experience long-term physical problems following their cancer treatments and can often seem much older than same age peers who were never treated for cancer. This is known as accelerated aging. One way to improve accelerated aging is to increase moderate to vigorous intensity exercise; however, for many cancer survivors, especially those with physical limitations, increasing exercise levels is not possible. Another potential way to improve accelerated aging may be to decrease the amount of time spent sitting. Long periods of sitting are related to many physical and health problems. Cancer survivors spend more than 9 hours a day sitting and often increase the amount they sit after their cancer treatments. This study could help identify realistic intervention targets for many cancer survivors and be used to guide recommendations for improving physical function and quality of life after cancer.

The primary goal of the Sit Less arm is to reduce the total amount of time spent sitting each day and break up prolonged bouts of sitting.

The Sit Less arm uses habit formation, social cognitive theory, and motivational interviewing techniques to support behavior change and includes: 1) 7 health coaching sessions to set personalized goals and review progress; 2) wearing an activPAL (thigh worn accelerometer that measures sitting time); 3) intervention tools to support behavior change (e.g., standing desk, wrist worn monitor).

Measure of Self-Report Physical Function, standardized T-score, higher scores indicated better functioning

Inclusion Criteria: Breast cancer survivors (stages I-IV) at least 1 year post active treatment (e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy) Breast cancer was treated with chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and/or endocrine therapy self-report difficulties with physical function self-report low levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity self-report high levels of sitting time Exclusion Criteria: medical condition that interferes with ability to safely stand or stay balanced other cancer diagnoses that occurred after their breast cancer diagnosis Stage IV breast cancer with brain metastases or less than 12 months life-expectancy unable to commit to a 3-month study