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Combined aerobic and strength exercise training on biological ageing in Singaporean breast cancer patients: protocol for the Breast Cancer Exercise Intervention (BREXINT) Pilot Study

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Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prominent cancer amongst women, but fortunately, early diagnosis and advances in multimodality treatments have improved patient survivability. Cancer survivors, however, experience increased biological ageing which may accelerate other co-morbidities. Exercise intervention is a promising clinical adjuvant approach to improve BC patients’ physiological function, recovery from treatment, and quality of life. However, the effects of combined aerobic and strength exercise training on biological ageing in BC patients have not been studied. The Breast Cancer Exercise Intervention (BREXINT) Pilot Study will evaluate the effects of a 24-week combined aerobic and strength exercise intervention against usual care in 50 BC patients’ post-treatment randomised to either group. The primary outcomes include changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, cancer-related symptoms, and rate of biological ageing following exercise intervention period. The secondary outcomes include habitual physical activity measured with tri-axial accelerometery and supporting questionnaires, including physical activity, food diary, and quality of life questionnaires. This study will identify the effects of combined aerobic exercise strength training on biological ageing in BC patients from Singapore. Results from this study could further support the implementation of regular exercise programmes as routine care for cancer patients.

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Funding

The BREXINT Pilot Study is supported by grants from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program (HLTRP/2022/PS-03), and National Cancer Centre Research Fund (NCCRF-YR2019-JUL-PG4).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore

    Patrick Henry Sebastian Sitjar, Rufaihah Binte Abdul Jalil & Jorming Goh

  2. Exercise Physiology & Biomarkers Laboratory, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore

    Patrick Henry Sebastian Sitjar & Jorming Goh

  3. SingHealth Duke-NUS Breast Centre, Singapore, Singapore

    Si Ying Tan

  4. Department of Breast Surgery, Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Singapore, Singapore

    Si Ying Tan

  5. Department of Breast Surgery, Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore, Singapore

    Si Ying Tan

  6. Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore, Singapore

    Mabel Wong, Elaine Hsuen Lim & Jorming Goh

  7. KK Breast Centre, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), Singapore, Singapore

    Mabel Wong

  8. Laboratory of Women’s Health & Genetics, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Singapore, Singapore

    Jingmei Li

  9. Centre for Healthy Longevity, National University Health System (NUHS), Singapore, Singapore

    Rufaihah Binte Abdul Jalil

  10. Singapore Cancer Society (SCS), Singapore, Singapore

    Huizhen Aw

  11. Division of Community Outreach and Philanthropy, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore, Singapore

    Elaine Hsuen Lim

  12. Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore

    Jorming Goh

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  1. Patrick Henry Sebastian Sitjar
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  2. Si Ying Tan
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  3. Mabel Wong
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  4. Jingmei Li
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  6. Huizhen Aw
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  7. Elaine Hsuen Lim
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  8. Jorming Goh
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Correspondence to Elaine Hsuen Lim or Jorming Goh.

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Sitjar, P.H.S., Tan, S.Y., Wong, M. et al. Combined aerobic and strength exercise training on biological ageing in Singaporean breast cancer patients: protocol for the Breast Cancer Exercise Intervention (BREXINT) Pilot Study. GeroScience (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-024-01145-9

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