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Factors Influencing the Decision of Individuals with Breast Cancer to Join an Exercise Oncology Trial

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Abstract

Exercise has been found to have numerous benefits for individuals with cancer undergoing treatment. The primary objective of this study was to explore factors that influence the decision to join an exercise trial for individuals with a current diagnosis of breast cancer. A theory-informed survey was administered exploring factors (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control) that influenced participants’ decision to join the “NEXT-BRCA” exercise trial. Eligible participants included self-reported females over 18 years, diagnosed with stage 1–3 breast cancer undergoing treatment and cleared for exercise by their oncologist. Survey questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics and exploratory analysis was performed to determine if associations existed between personal characteristics (age, physical activity level, co-morbid conditions) and cancer characteristics (treatment received). Seventy-four participants completed the survey. Most participants (85% of respondents) were interested in increasing their level of physical activity. The most common attitudes contributing to participant’s decision to participate in the trial included feelings that exercise was beneficial for improving physical (91%) and mental health (89%). Advice from the treating oncologist was ranked as the most important factor influencing their decision to join the trial (73%). Respondents hoped to gain exercise knowledge through educational materials (72%) and a structured exercise program (70%). Findings explore why individuals with breast cancer participate in exercise trials during treatment. This knowledge will enhance recruitment of future studies using similar interventions and assist clinicians to maximize education regarding exercise and access to exercise programs for individuals with breast cancer in the future.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the lead author (JST).

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Derek Stouth and Ms. Elizabeth Ball for their work coordinating participant sessions related to this project.

Funding

This research was funded by The Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre Foundation – BRIGHT Run Fund, grant number T210.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street West, IAHS Rm 436, Hamilton, ON, L8S 1C7, Canada

    Jenna Smith-Turchyn

  2. Department of Oncology, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 35, Canada

    Som D. Mukherjee

Authors
  1. Jenna Smith-Turchyn
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  2. Som D. Mukherjee
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by JST. The first draft of the manuscript was written by JST and SDM commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jenna Smith-Turchyn.

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Ethical Approval

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (HiREB) (protocol code 7673 (protocol date: February 3, 2020)).

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing interest.

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Smith-Turchyn, J., Mukherjee, S.D. Factors Influencing the Decision of Individuals with Breast Cancer to Join an Exercise Oncology Trial. J Canc Educ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-024-02403-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-024-02403-2

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