Breast Cancer
Conditions
Keywords
Vascular function, Vascular structure, Thermoregulation, Hot flushes, Cerebral blood flow, Exercise training
Brief summary
In brief, this study sets out to understand if exercise training can reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes associated with breast cancer treatment.
Detailed description
In detail, the aim of this research project is to investigate whether improving temperature control mechanisms including vascular function, with exercise training is beneficial in alleviating hot flushes in breast cancer patients and their associated quality of life symptoms. Participants will be recruited at least 3-months post breast cancer treatment (surgery, radio-therapy, chemotherapy). This time point has been chosen for this study to allow patients to fully engage in the exercise intervention following treatment. All participants will be asked to attend the laboratory at Liverpool John Moores University on 4 separate occasions; 2 visits pre- and 2 visits following the exercise intervention for data collection including measures of vascular health, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and fitness. The investigators will also gain information on food intake and incidence of hot flushes across a 7-day period pre- and post the intervention.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALExercise Intervention
A partially supervised 16-week moderate intensity exercise intervention consisting of 3-5 sessions per week.
Sponsors
Liverpool John Moores University
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Able to provide written informed consent * Pre-menopausal, Peri-menopausal or post-menopausal * \>4 hot flushes per day * Female * Treated with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor
Exclusion criteria
* Uncontrolled or severe hypertension (blood pressure \> 160/100 mm Hg) * Any previous injury preventing exercise * Type 1 or 2 diabetes * Anti-depressants * Currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy * Current smoker * Cannot readily read and understand English
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Thermoregulation | Change from pre- to post- 16 week exercise intervention | Participants will wear a tube-lined suit that allows manipulation of skin temperature by heating the water passed through the tubes. Core temperature will be increased by 1 degree (monitored using a temperature pill) with sweat rate and skin temperature recordings taken at 5minute intervals across 1 hour of heating. Thermoregulation will be compared during this hour to that of the post-exercise intervention re-test. |
| Change in Skin Blood Flow | Change from pre- to post- 16 week exercise intervention | The change in skin blood flow will be measured using laser Doppler probes at the forearm. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Cerebral Blood Flow | Change from pre- to post- 16 week exercise intervention | Change in cerebral blood flow will be assessed using transcranial Doppler ultrasound to measure brain blood flow. |
| Change in Vascular Function | Change from pre- to post- 16 week exercise intervention | Vascular function will be measured via endothelial-dependent flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery and reported as a percentage change. |
| Change in Vascular Structure | Change from pre- to post- 16 week exercise intervention | Vascular structure will be measured at the carotid artery using ultrasound imaging to clearly visualise the artery. The image will be adjusted so artery wall thickness can be clearly seen with a 30 second recording taken at 3 different angles. The average of the three angles will be calculated with results reported as change in millimetres. |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed