Aline Rachel Bezerra Gurgel1, Pedro Mingroni-Netto1, Jose Carlos Farah2, Christina May Moran de Brito3, Anna S Levin4, Patricia Chakur Brum1. 1. School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 2. Centro de Práticas Esportivas da Universidade de São Paulo (CEPEUSP), São Paulo, Brazil. 3. Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, ICESP, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 4. Department of Infectious Diseases and LIM49, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
Background: Increased exercise and physical activity levels are recommended throughout cancer therapy and survivorship. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent social distancing are likely to cause a decline in physical activity. Objective: to evaluate the level of unsupervised physical activity of breast cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the factors associated with difficulties in engaging and maintaining recommended physical activity levels. Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a sample of 37 breast cancer survivors. They participated in a canoeing training program (project Remama) at the University of São Paulo before the COVID-19 pandemic. Socioeconomic aspects, engagement in physical activity, motivation, and potential exposure to COVID-19 were investigated through an online survey, administered in September of 2020. Results: During the pandemic, participants increased their body weight (5 ± 3.4 kg); 90% reported decreasing physical activity levels associated with increased sedentary time. Twenty-one (58%) participants exhibited some COVID-19-related symptoms, most used public transportation (59%), or returned to work during the period of a high incidence of COVID-19. The only factor associated with perceived difficulty in engaging in physical activities was having had more than three cancer treatments (RR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.07-4.27). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a group of previously active breast cancer survivors to decrease their physical activity, gain weight, and have sedentary behavior. Specific tailored-care interventions are needed to prevent these occurrences, as overweight and physical inactivity may impose an additional risk for breast cancer recurrence and a severe course of COVID-19 in cancer patients.
Background: Increased exercise and physical activity levels are recommended throughout cancer therapy and survivorship. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent social distancing are likely to cause a decline in physical activity. Objective: to evaluate the level of unsupervised physical activity of breast cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the factors associated with difficulties in engaging and maintaining recommended physical activity levels. Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a sample of 37 breast cancer survivors. They participated in a canoeing training program (project Remama) at the University of São Paulo before the COVID-19 pandemic. Socioeconomic aspects, engagement in physical activity, motivation, and potential exposure to COVID-19 were investigated through an online survey, administered in September of 2020. Results: During the pandemic, participants increased their body weight (5 ± 3.4 kg); 90% reported decreasing physical activity levels associated with increased sedentary time. Twenty-one (58%) participants exhibited some COVID-19-related symptoms, most used public transportation (59%), or returned to work during the period of a high incidence of COVID-19. The only factor associated with perceived difficulty in engaging in physical activities was having had more than three cancer treatments (RR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.07-4.27). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a group of previously active breast cancer survivors to decrease their physical activity, gain weight, and have sedentary behavior. Specific tailored-care interventions are needed to prevent these occurrences, as overweight and physical inactivity may impose an additional risk for breast cancer recurrence and a severe course of COVID-19 in cancerpatients.
Authors: Kathryn H Schmitz; Anna M Campbell; Martijn M Stuiver; Bernardine M Pinto; Anna L Schwartz; G Stephen Morris; Jennifer A Ligibel; Andrea Cheville; Daniel A Galvão; Catherine M Alfano; Alpa V Patel; Trisha Hue; Lynn H Gerber; Robert Sallis; Niraj J Gusani; Nicole L Stout; Leighton Chan; Fiona Flowers; Colleen Doyle; Susan Helmrich; William Bain; Jonas Sokolof; Kerri M Winters-Stone; Kristin L Campbell; Charles E Matthews Journal: CA Cancer J Clin Date: 2019-10-16 Impact factor: 508.702
Authors: Jeffrey A Meyerhardt; Denise Heseltine; Donna Niedzwiecki; Donna Hollis; Leonard B Saltz; Robert J Mayer; James Thomas; Heidi Nelson; Renaud Whittom; Alexander Hantel; Richard L Schilsky; Charles S Fuchs Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2006-07-05 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Susan C Gilchrist; Virginia J Howard; Tomi Akinyemiju; Suzanne E Judd; Mary Cushman; Steven P Hooker; Keith M Diaz Journal: JAMA Oncol Date: 2020-08-01 Impact factor: 31.777
Authors: Caroline Himbert; Cassandra A Hathaway; Bailee Daniels; Karen Salas; Anjelica Ashworth; Biljana Gigic; Tengda Lin; Richard Viskochil; Anne C Kirchhoff; Douglas Grossman; Jennifer Ose; Jonathan Tward; Courtney Scaife; Jane C Figueiredo; Adetunji T Toriola; Anna Beck; David Shibata; Brian D Gonzalez; Cindy Matsen; Cristina Christenson; Debra S Ma; Howard Colman; Jason P Hunt; Kevin B Jones; Catherine J Lee; Mikaela Larson; Tracy Onega; Wallace L Akerley; Christopher I Li; Martin Schneider; Frank J Penedo; Erin M Siegel; Shelley S Tworoger; Cornelia M Ulrich; Anita R Peoples Journal: Res Sq Date: 2021-09-21
Authors: Andy Pringle; Nicky Kime; Stephen Zwolinsky; Zoe Rutherford; Clare M P Roscoe Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-03-03 Impact factor: 3.390