The effect of cardiac rehabilitation on quality of life and 6-minute walk test in breast cancer patients during ongoing anthracycline based therapy

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) accounts for 38.8% of all cancers in Egyptian women, making it the most frequent cancer in this community. BC mortality is thought to be around 11%, and it is the second cause of cancer-related death after liver cancer. Chemotherapy for BC sometimes exacerbates symptoms of depression and exhaustion. Many women have a large reduction in physical activity following a BC diagnosis, and this reduction persists even after treatment is finished. Putting in place a customized cardiac rehabilitation program might be a useful tactic to stop the reduction in physical activity and enhance the quality of life (QOL) for individuals with BC. There is a lack of information on the early use of combined cardiac rehabilitation while receiving anthracycline treatment.
Objective: To investigate the effect of tailored combined cardiac rehabilitation program on QOL and 6-minute walk test in BC patients after starting anthracyclines.
Patients and Methods: Sixty BC patients scheduled for anthracyclines cycles were divided into two groups; Study group (n=30) participated in combined home based and hospital based cardiac rehabilitation and Control group (n=30) received the usual cancer care. Functional capacity was assessed after study period by 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT). All patients were personally interviewed for assessment of QOL after study period using (FACT-B) questionnaire.
Results: The Study group showed significant increase in 6-minute walk distance (p=0.037), percentage of expected of 6-MWT (p=0.01), and QOL score (p=0.005). Among the Study group, there was significant increase in METS (p<0.001), ET (p<0.001), maximal HR (p<0.001), HRR (p<0.001) along with significant decrease in basal HR (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The implementation of a cardiac rehabilitation program during anthracycline treatment can enhance functional ability and QOL in BC patients.