Effect of a pedometer-based exercise program on cancer related fatigue and quality of life amongst patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst Indian women. Cancer treatments leads to various side effects out of which Cancer-Related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most under-addressed side-effects. It is experienced the most in patients receiving chemotherapy. Exercise has been proven to be a beneficial intervention to manage CRF but the benefits of pedometer-based exercise programs is under-studied in patients with breast cancer. Hence, we set out to investigate the effects of a pedometer-based exercise program for patients with breast receiving chemotherapy. Methods: The current study was a non-randomized controlled trial with 22 patients each in exercise and control group. The exercise group received a pedometer-based walking program, whereas the control group received standard physical activity advice. Fatigue, quality of life, functional capacity and body composition were assessed at baseline, 3rd week and 7th week. Results: At the end of 7 weeks intervention, functional capacity, quality of life and skeletal mass were found to have improved with statistical significance, while the fatigue and changes in total fat did improve but were not statistically significant. Conclusion: A 7-week pedometer-based exercise program improved functional capacity, quality of life and percentage of skeletal mass and also shows to have prevented deterioration in fatigue levels in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy.