A retrospective investigation of the relationship between aerobic exercise and quality of life in women with breast cancer.

Aerobic exercise rarely has been considered in the rehabilitation of patients with cancer. This retrospective study was undertaken to determine if women with breast cancer who exercise experience a higher quality of life (QOL) than women with breast cancer who do not exercise. A group of 42 women who exercised was compared to a group of 29 women who did not exercise. Compared to the nonexercisers, the women who exercised had a significantly higher QOL (p = 0.03) as measured by the Quality of Life Index for Patients With Cancer (QOL Index). The groups did not differ significantly in age, education, employment, socioeconomic status, stage of disease, time since diagnosis, type of surgery, type of treatment, or presence of pre-existing health conditions precluding exercise. However, the women who exercised perceived significantly fewer barriers to exercise (p = 0.0001) as measured by the Perceived Barriers to Exercise Scale (PBE Scale) and were more likely to be married or living with a significant other (p = 0.02).