Online Home-Based Physical Activity Counteracts Changes of Redox-Status Biomarkers and Fitness Profiles during Treatment Programs in Postsurgery Female Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer in women. Oxidative stress may contribute to cancer etiology through several mechanisms. A large body of evidence indicates that physical activity (PA) has positive effects on different aspects of BC evolution, including mitigation of negative effects induced by medical treatment. With the aim to verify the capacity of PA to counteract negative effects of BC treatment on systemic redox homeostasis in postsurgery female BC patients, we have examined the modulation of circulating levels of oxidative stress and inflammation markers. Moreover, we evaluated the impacts on physical fitness and mental well-being by measuring functional parameters, body mass index, body composition, health-related quality of life (QoL), and fatigue. Our investigation revealed that PA was effective in maintaining plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and tGSH, as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells' (PBMCs) mRNA levels of SOD1 and heat-shock protein 27. Moreover, we found a significant decrease in plasma interleukin-6 (approximate to 0.57 +/- 0.23-fold change, p < 0.05) and increases in both interleukin-10 (approximate to 1.15 +/- 0.35-fold change, p < 0.05) and PBMCs' mRNA level of SOD2 (approximate to 1.87 +/- 0.36-fold change, p < 0.05). Finally, PA improves functional parameters (6 min walking test, approximate to+6.50%, p < 0.01; Borg, approximate to-58.18%, p < 0.01; sit-and-reach, approximate to+250.00%, p < 0.01; scratch right, approximate to-24.12%, and left, approximate to-18.81%, p < 0.01) and body composition (free fat mass, approximate to+2.80%, p < 0.05; fat mass, approximate to-6.93%, p < 0.05) as well as the QoL (physical function, approximate to+5.78%, p < 0.05) and fatigue (cognitive fatigue, approximate to-60%, p < 0.05) parameters. These results suggest that a specific PA program not only is effective in improving functional and anthropometric parameters but may also activate cellular responses through a multitude of actions in postsurgery BC patients undergoing adjuvant therapy. These may include modulation of gene expression and protein activity and impacting several signaling pathways/biological activities involved in tumor-cell growth; metastasis; and inflammation, as well as moderating distress symptoms known to negatively affect QoL.

Automated summary

Exercise has positive effects on post-surgery breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy, maintaining redox homeostasis, improving physical fitness and mental well-being.