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We provide the first scoping review on physical activity (PA) in patients with kidney cancer (KC). We identified only 17 published articles from nine independent studies, resulting in no firm conclusions. Evidence on the safety, feasibility, and efficacy (benefits and harms) of PA in patients with KC is lacking. Systematic research on this topic is warranted. Physical activity (PA) helps many cancer patients improve health-related fitness, treatment-related side effects, quality of life, and possibly survival; however, limited research has been conducted in patients with kidney cancer (KC). The aim of this scoping review focused on PA in patients with KC was to summarize current findings, delineate strengths and limitations, and provide key recommendations for future research. A scoping review was conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines. The electronic databases of PubMed and Cochrane Library were screened for studies on October 14, 2021, and the search was updated on October 31, 2021. The data were abstracted and synthesized by study design. A total of 17 articles from nine independent studies were identified including 1 cross-sectional study (n = 8 articles), 1 randomized controlled trial (n = 2 articles) and 7 cohort studies (n = 7 articles). The cross-sectional study and randomized controlled trial reported on PA participation rates, preferences, social-cognitive correlates, and quality of life in patients with KC. The 7 cohort studies mostly reported on the risk of KC mortality in general population samples. Overall, no conclusions can be drawn from current research on the safety, feasibility, and efficacy (benefits and harms) of PA in patients with KC. Future research is urgently needed on PA in patients with KC, taking into account their unique disease- and treatmentrelated factors. This research is necessary to inform clinical exercise guidelines in this understudied cancer patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In Chilean patients with breast cancer (BC) receiving chemotherapy we aimed to (a) report the levels of physical activity (PA), (b) compare clinical/socio-demographic parameters among patients with different levels of PA, and (c) explore exercise preferences.Methods: Patients (n = 112) completed a questionnaire regarding their PA habits, and another questionnaire regarding their preferences for an exercise program. Patients were then divided into three groups based on the exercise guidelines for patients with BC (150 min/week of moderate exercise, or 75 min/week of vigorous exercise). The groups were (i) not engaging in any moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), (ii) engaging in some MVPA, but not meeting the guidelines, and (iii) meeting the guidelines. Clinical/socio-demographic parameters and preferences for exercise were compared between groups.Results: Only 13% of patients with BC met the exercise guidelines. These patients were younger, had been diagnosed more recently, and had fewer children than patients not engaging in MVPA. There were no differences in the preferences for exercise between groups. Overall, patients preferred to exercise with other patients (76%), at moderate intensity (67%), performing different activities (94%), supervised (94%), with a fixed schedule (69%), and to do group activities (90%).Conclusion: Most patients with BC receiving chemotherapy did not meet the exercise guidelines. Patients > 50 years old and with > 2 children were the most inactive. Efforts to increase PA levels should focus especially on these patients. The preferences for exercise reported here will help to increase adherence to exercise programs and improve outcomes for these patients in Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study we examined the demographic, medical, and social cognitive correlates of exercise intentions in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) survivors using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Participants were 399 NHL survivors who completed a mailed survey that assessed demographics, past exercise, and the TPB (i.e., intention, perceived behavioral control, affective and instrumental attitudes, and subjective norm). Descriptive data indicated that only about 50% of NHL survivors intended to exercise at levels that are consistent with current public health guidelines. In support of the TPB, multiple regression analysis indicated that the model explained 55% of the variance in exercise intentions, with perceived behavioral control (b = .47), affective attitude (b = .23), and subjective norm (b = .15), being the most important correlates. It was concluded that the TPB provides a good framework on which to base interventions designed to increase exercise intentions in NHL survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the moderating influence of the five-factor model of personality (FFM) on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in the exercise domain. Although an analysis of all possible moderation effects was conducted, it was hypothesized that high extraversion (E) and conscientiousness (C) individuals would demonstrate significantly stronger relationships between intentions and exercise behavior than those low in E and C. Conversely, it was expected that high neuroticism (N) individuals would show a significantly weaker relationship between intention and exercise behavior than those low in N. A total of 300 undergraduate students completed measures of the FFM, TPB, and a 2-week follow-up of exercise behavior. Two-group structural equation models of the TPB were created using a median split for each personality trait. Overall, 5 significant (p < .05) moderating effects were found. Specifically, N was found to moderate the effect of subjective norm on intention. E also moderated the effects of subjective norm on intention as well as intention on behavior. C moderated the effects of affective attitude on intention and intention on behavior. Theorized influences for the presence or absence of personality moderators are discussed. The results generally support the possibility of personality being a moderator of the TPB but highlight the need for future research and replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the relationship between physical exercise and self-esteem in breast cancer survivors using Sonstroem and Morgan's (1989) exercise and self-esteem model. Details on the participants; Methodology used for the examination; Results and conclusions of the examination.

Objectives: To determine the effects of the 3-month multicomponent Better Exercise Adherence after Treatment for Cancer (BEAT Cancer) physical activity behavior change intervention on fatigue, depressive symptomatology, and anxiety.Methods: Postprimary treatment breast cancer survivors (n = 222) were randomized to BEAT Cancer or usual care. Fatigue Symptom Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were assessed at baseline, postintervention (month 3; M3), and follow-up (month 6; M6).Results: Adjusted linear mixed-model analyses demonstrated significant effects of BEAT Cancer vs usual care on fatigue intensity (M3 mean between group difference [M] = -0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.0 to -0.2; effect size [d] = -0.32; P = .004), fatigue interference (M3 M = -0.8; CI = -1.3 to -0.4; d = -0.40; P < .001), depressive symptomatology (M3 M = -1.3; CI = -2.0 to -0.6; d = -0.38; P < .001), and anxiety (M3 M = -1.3; CI = -2.0 to -0.5; d = -0.33; P < .001). BEAT Cancer effects remained significant at M6 for all outcomes (all P values <.05; d = -0.21 to -.35). Clinically meaningful effects were noted for fatigue intensity, fatigue interference, and depressive symptomatology.Conclusions: BEAT Cancer reduces fatigue, depressive symptomatology, and anxiety up to 3 months postintervention in postprimary treatment breast cancer survivors. Further study is needed to determine sustainable methods for disseminating and implementing the beneficial intervention components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Data from large randomized controlled trials confirming sleep quality improvements with aerobic physical activity have heretofore been lacking for post-primary treatment breast cancer survivors. Our primary purpose for this report was to determine the effects of a physical activity behavior change intervention, previously reported to significantly increase physical activity behavior, on sleep quality in post-primary treatment breast cancer survivors. Methods: Post-primary treatment breast cancer survivors (n = 222) were randomized to a 3-month physical activity behavior change intervention (Better Exercise Adherence after Treatment for Cancer [BEAT Cancer]) or usual care. Self-report (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and actigraphy (latency and efficiency) sleep outcomes were measured at baseline, 3 months (M3), and 6 months (M6). Results: After adjusting for covariates, BEAT Cancer significantly improved PSQI global sleep quality when compared with usual care at M3 (mean between-group difference [M] = -1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -2.1 to -0.7, P < 0.001) and M6 (M = -1.0, 95% CI = -1.7 to -0.2, P = 0.01). BEAT Cancer improved several PSQI subscales at M3 (sleep quality M = -0.3, 95% CI = -0.4 to -0.1, P = 0.002; sleep disturbances M = -0.2, 95% CI = -0.3 to -0.03, P = 0.016; daytime dysfunction M = -0.2, 95% CI = -0.4 to -0.02, P = 0.027) but not M6. A nonsignificant increase in percent of participants classified as good sleepers occurred. No significant between-group difference was noted for accelerometer latency or efficiency. Conclusion: A physical activity intervention significantly reduced perceived global sleep dysfunction at 3 and 6 months, primarily because of improvements in sleep quality aspects not detected with accelerometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To our knowledge, the Alberta Moving Beyond Breast Cancer (AMBER) Study is the first and only prospective cohort study of breast cancer survivors that includes objectively-measured physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, health-related fitness (HRF), and biologic mechanisms focused on understanding breast cancer outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to report on the feasibility of recruitment, baseline measurement completion, and the representativeness of the first 500 participants.Methods: AMBER is enrolling newly diagnosed stage I (≥T1c) to IIIc breast cancer survivors in Alberta, Canada. Baseline assessments are completed soon after diagnosis and include cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness, body composition, objective and self-reported PA and sedentary behavior, lymphedema, and blood collection.Results: Between July 2012 and November 2014, AMBER recruited its first 500 participants from a pool of 1,447 (35 %) eligible breast cancer survivors. Baseline HRF assessments were completed on ≥85 % of participants with the exception of upper body strength. Collection of ≥4 days/week of monitoring for the Actigraph GT3X® and ActivPAL® were obtained from 90 % of participants. Completion rates were also high for blood (99 %), lymphedema (98 %), and questionnaires (95 %) including patient-reported outcomes and correlates of exercise. The first 500 participants in AMBER are an average age of 56 years, 60 % are overweight or obese, and 58 % have disease stage II or III.Conclusion: Despite the modest recruitment rate and younger age, AMBER has demonstrated that many newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors are willing and able to complete a wide array of sophisticated and physically demanding HRF and PA assessments soon after diagnosis. AMBER is a unique breast cancer survivor cohort that may inform future randomized controlled trials on lifestyle and breast cancer outcomes as well as PA behavior change in breast cancer survivors. Moreover, AMBER may also inform guidelines on PA, sedentary behavior, and HRF for improving breast cancer outcomes and survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, there are more than 14 million cancer survivors. Many of these survivors have been treated with multimodal therapy including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. These therapies improve survival; however, they also cause acute and chronic side effects that can undermine health and quality of life. Physical activity (PA) and cancer survivorship is a rapidly growing field of inquiry that studies the role of PA in people diagnosed with cancer. In this article, we propose the following top 10 research questions for the field of PA and cancer survivorship: (1) Does PA reduce the risk for cancer recurrence and/or improve survival? (2) Does PA influence cancer treatment decisions, completion rates, and/or response? (3) What is the optimal PA prescription for cancer survivors? (4) What is the role of sedentary behavior in cancer survivorship? (5) What are the most effective PA behavior change interventions for cancer survivors? (6) Which cancer variables modify the PA response? (7) What are the safety issues concerning PA in cancer survivors? (8) Which specific cancer symptoms can be managed by PA? (9) Is there a role for PA in advanced cancer? And (10) How do we translate PA research into clinical and community oncology practice? The answers to these questions are critical not only for advancing the field of PA and cancer survivorship, but for improving the lives of the millions of cancer survivors every year who are diagnosed with cancer, going through treatments, recovering after treatments, or coping with advanced disease. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Observational studies suggest that physical activity after a breast cancer diagnosis is associated with improved cancer outcomes; however, no randomized data are available. Here, we report an exploratory follow-up of cancer outcomes from the Supervised Trial of Aerobic versus Resistance Training (START). Methods: The START was a Canadian multicenter trial that randomized 242 breast cancer patients between 2003 and 2005 to usual care (n = 82), supervised aerobic (n = 78), or resistance (n = 82) exercise during chemotherapy. The primary end point for this exploratory analysis was disease-free survival (DFS). Secondary end points were overall survival, distant DFS, and recurrence-free interval. The two exercise arms were combined for analysis (n = 160), and selected subgroups were explored. Results: After a median follow-up o f 89 months, there were 25/160 (15.6%) DFS events in the exercise groups and 18/82 (22.0%) in the control group. Eight-year DFS was 82.7% for the exercise groups compared with 75.6% for the control group (HR, 0.68; 95% confidence interval (Cl), 0.37-1.24; log-rank, P = 0.21). Slightly stronger effects were observed for overall survival (HR, 0.60; 95% Cl, 0.27-1.33; log-rank, P = 0.21), distant DFS (HR, 0.62; 95% Cl, 0.32—1.19; log-rank, P = 0.15), and recurrence-free interval (HR, 0.58; 95% Cl, 0.30-1.11; Gray test, P = 0.095). Subgroup analyses suggested potentially stronger exercise effects on DFS for women who were overweight/obese (HR, 0.59; 95% Cl, 0.27-1.27), had stage II/III cancer (HR, 0.61; 95% Cl, 0.31-1.20), estrogen receptor-positive tumors (HR, 0.58; 95% Cl, 0.26-1.29), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive tumors (HR, 0.21; 95% Cl, 0.04-1.02), received taxane-based chemotherapies (HR, 0.46; 95% Cl, 0.19-1.15), and ≥85% o f their planned chemotherapy (HR, 0.50; 95% Cl, 0.25-1.01). Conclusions: This exploratory follow-up o f the START provides the first randomized data to suggest that adding exercise to standard chemotherapy may improve breast cancer outcomes. A definitive phase III trial is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) can improve the quality of life (QoL) for breast cancer survivors (BCS), yet, most do not achieve 150 + weekly minutes of MVPA. This study investigated moderators of response to a physical activity (PA) behavior change intervention for BCS. Methods: BCS (N = 222) were randomized to the 3-month intervention (BEAT Cancer) or usual care. Measurements occurred at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. Measures included accelerometry, self-reported MVPA, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-General, FACT-Breast, physical well-being (PWB), social well-being (SWB), emotional well-being (EWB), functional well-being (FWB), additional concerns (AC), and Trial Outcome Index (TOI)). Results: Adjusted linear mixed-model analyses indicated individuals ≤ 24 months post-diagnosis and who were single reported smaller increases in weekly self-reported MVPA than those > 24 months (44.07 vs 111.93) and partnered (− 16.24 vs. 49.16 min), all p < 0.05. As for QoL, participants < 12 months post-diagnosis who received chemotherapy experienced smaller improvements than those ≥ 12 months in FACT-General, FACT-Breast, PWB, and SWB scores. Survivors with a history of chemotherapy had smaller improvements in FACT-General, FACT-Breast, PWB, SWB, TOI, and AC scores, all p < 0.05. Conclusion: These findings indicate that being < 2 years post-diagnosis, single, and prior chemotherapy may limit MVPA and QOL responses to a PA intervention. Further studies are needed to determine if and/or what additional PA supports and resources these subgroups of BCS might find beneficial and effective. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00929617. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Exercise improves physical functioning and symptom management during breast cancer chemotherapy, but the effects of different doses and types of exercise are unknown. Methods A multicenter trial in Canada randomized 301 breast cancer patients to thrice-weekly supervised exercise during chemotherapy consisting of either a standard dose of 25 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (STAN; n = 96), a higher dose of 50 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise (HIGH; n = 101), or a combined dose of 50 to 60 minutes of aerobic and resistance exercise (COMB; n = 104). The primary endpoint was physical functioning assessed by the Medical Outcomes Survey-Short Form (SF)–36. Secondary endpoints were other physical functioning scales, symptoms, fitness, and chemotherapy completion. All statistical tests were linear mixed model analyses, and the P values were two-sided. Results Follow-up assessment of patient-reported outcomes was 99.0%. Adjusted linear mixed-model analyses showed that neither HIGH (+0.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.8 to 2.4; P = .30) nor COMB (+0.5; 95% CI = −1.1 to 2.1; P = .52] were superior to STAN for the primary outcome. In secondary analyses not adjusted for multiple comparisons, HIGH was superior to STAN for the SF-36 physical component summary (P = .04), SF-36 bodily pain (P = .02), and endocrine symptoms (P = .02). COMB was superior to STAN for endocrine symptoms (P = .009) and superior to STAN (P < .001) and HIGH (P < .001) for muscular strength. HIGH was superior to COMB for the SF-36 bodily pain (P = .04) and aerobic fitness (P = .03). No differences emerged for body composition or chemotherapy completion. Conclusions A higher volume of aerobic or combined exercise is achievable and safe during breast cancer chemotherapy and may manage declines in physical functioning and worsening symptoms better than standard volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives Supervised exercise is beneficial for lymphoma patients, but it needs to be maintained to optimize long-term benefits. Here, we report the predictors of follow-up exercise behavior 6 months after a randomized controlled trial in lymphoma patients. Methods Lymphoma patients were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise ( n = 60) or usual care ( n = 62). At baseline and post-intervention, data were collected on demographic, medical, health-related fitness, quality of life, and motivational variables. At 6-month follow-up, participants were mailed a questionnaire that assessed exercise behavior and were categorized as meeting or not meeting public health exercise guidelines. Results At 6-month follow-up, 110 participants (90.2%) responded, of which 61 (55.5%) were meeting public health exercise guidelines. In univariate analyses, 16 variables predicted 6-month follow-up exercise behavior. In a stepwise regression analysis, five variables entered the model and explained 38% ( p < 0.001) of the variance including the following: accepting a post-intervention exercise prescription ( β = 0.33; p < 0.001), achieving a higher peak power output at post-intervention ( β = 0.28; p = 0.001), experiencing a larger positive change in perceived behavioral control ( β = 0.18; p = 0.028), having Hodgkin lymphoma ( β = 0.19; p = 0.025), and having a stronger post-intervention intention ( β = 0.18; p = 0.034). Conclusion Exercise behavior in lymphoma patients 6 months after a randomized trial was predicted by a wide range of demographic, medical, health-related fitness, quality of life, and motivational variables. These findings may help facilitate the uptake of self-directed exercise after short-term supervised exercise in lymphoma patients. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of implementing supervised exercise programming into the clinical care of individuals with advanced cancer. Design: Single group implementation feasibility study using a pre–posttest design. Setting: Exercise Oncology Unit of the Spanish Cancer Association (a cancer-specific community facility outside the hospital setting). Participants: Adult individuals with advanced cancer profile involving advanced local cancer or distant metastases. Intervention: A 12-week, twice-weekly, supervised, clinic-based multi-component exercise program. Main Measure: Paired t -tests were used to assess pre–post changes and analyses of covariance were used to compare effects based on selected participant characteristics. Results: Eighty-four individuals with advanced cancer completed the baseline assessment, with six participants withdrawing prior to the start of the program. Of the 78 participants, 17 dropped out, thus, a total of 61 completed the final assessment. Mean adherence was 82.5%. No serious adverse events occurred. Exercise significantly improved VO2max by 5.2 mL·kg·min (p < 0.001), chest strength (p < 0.001), leg strength (p < 0.001), lean body mass (p = 0.003), skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.002), % body fat (p = 0.02), quality of life by 5.3 points (p = 0.009), fatigue by 3.2 points (p = 0.012), and physical activity by 1680 METs/week (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our clinically supervised and tailored exercise program involving moderate to vigorous intensity exercise was found to be feasible, safe, and effective for individuals with advanced cancer. Implications for Cancer Survivors: With proper screening and supervision, individuals with advanced cancer can benefit from tailored exercise oncology support as part of an overall therapeutic care plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research which was conducted to investigate the effects supervised aerobic exercise had on the motivational outcomes and longer-term behavior of lymphoma patients. Researchers evaluated 60 patients. They found that supervised exercise has motivational effects in lymphoma patients and improves longer-term exercise behavior. They concluded that strategies to further enhance the motivational value of supervised exercise in lymphoma patients are warranted and should be developed.

Background: Limited research has examined the association between physical activity, health-related fitness, and disease outcomes in breast cancer survivors. Here, we present the rationale and design of the Alberta Moving Beyond Breast Cancer (AMBER) Study, a prospective cohort study designed specifically to examine the role of physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivorship from the time of diagnosis and for the balance of life. The AMBER Study will examine the role of physical activity and health-related fitness in facilitating treatment completion, alleviating treatment side effects, hastening recovery after treatments, improving long term quality of life, and reducing the risks of disease recurrence, other chronic diseases, and premature death. Methods/Design: The AMBER Study will enroll 1500 newly diagnosed, incident, stage I-IIIc breast cancer survivors in Alberta, Canada over a 5 year period. Assessments will be made at baseline (within 90 days of surgery), 1 year, and 3 years consisting of objective and self-reported measurements of physical activity, health-related fitness, blood collection, lymphedema, patient-reported outcomes, and determinants of physical activity. A final assessment at 5 years will measure patient-reported data only. The cohort members will be followed for an additional 5 years for disease outcomes. Discussion: The AMBER cohort will answer key questions related to physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivors including: (1) the independent and interactive associations of physical activity and health-related fitness with disease outcomes (e.g., recurrence, breast cancer-specific mortality, overall survival), treatment completion rates, symptoms and side effects (e.g., pain, lymphedema, fatigue, neuropathy), quality of life, and psychosocial functioning (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-esteem, happiness), (2) the determinants of physical activity and health-related fitness including demographic, medical, social cognitive, and environmental variables, (3) the mediators of any observed associations between physical activity, health-related fitness, and health outcomes including biological, functional, and psychosocial, and (4) the moderators of any observed associations including demographic, medical, and biological/disease factors. Taken together, these data will provide a comprehensive inquiry into the outcomes, determinants, mechanisms, and moderators of physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Interventions for disease prevention should also be evaluated for quality of life (QoL) effects. Few exercise trials have examined QoL in the context of primary disease prevention. Here, we report the QoL outcomes from the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention (ALPHA) Trial. Methods: The ALPHA trial was a randomized controlled trial in Calgary and Edmonton, Canada between May 2003 and July 2007 that compared an exercise intervention to a sedentary lifestyle among 320 sedentary, postmenopausal women. The exercise group was asked to perform moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise 45min/day, 5 days/week for 1 year. QoL was assessed by the short form-36 health survey. Results: Compared to the control group, the exercise group maintained significantly better physical functioning (p <0.001), general health (p <0.001), vitality (p =0.002), and bodily pain (p =0.020) by 4–5 points which exceeds the 3.0 minimally important difference for these scales. Changes in body composition partially mediated the intervention effects. Antidepressant use and the presence of comorbidities moderated some intervention effects. Conclusions: A 1-year moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise program prevents declines in the physical aspects of QoL in postmenopausal women. Exercise may have a potentially important advantage for breast cancer prevention compared to other lifestyle or biomedical interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exercise improves health in lymphoma patients but the determinants of adherence in this population are unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of exercise adherence in lymphoma patients. In a randomized trial, 60 lymphoma patients were assigned to the exercise group and asked to attend three supervised exercise sessions per week for 12 weeks. Baseline data were collected on demographic, medical, fitness, psychosocial, and motivational variables. Adherence was assessed by objective attendance. Adherence was 77.8% and was significantly predicted by age ( β = 0.29; p = 0.016) and past exercise ( β = 0.27; p = 0.024); and borderline significantly predicted by previous treatments ( β = 0.22; p = 0.053), body mass index ( β = −0.21; p = 0.076), and smoking ( β = −0.19; p = 0.092). Poorer exercise adherence was experienced by lymphoma patients under age 40, insufficiently active at baseline, previously treated with radiation therapy, overweight or obese, and smokers. Findings may facilitate the development of targeted interventions to improve exercise adherence in this understudied patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The widespread incorporation of behavioral support interventions into exercise trials has sometimes caused confusion concerning the primary purpose of a trial. The purpose of the present paper is to offer some conceptual and methodological distinctions among three types of exercise trials with a view towards improving their design, conduct, reporting, and interpretation. Discussion: Exercise trials can be divided into "health outcome trials" or "behavior change trials" based on their primary outcome. Health outcome trials can be further divided into efficacy and effectiveness trials based on their potential for dissemination into practice. Exercise efficacy trials may achieve high levels of exercise adherence by supervising the exercise over a short intervention period ("traditional" exercise efficacy trials) or by the adoption of an extensive behavioral support intervention designed to accommodate unsupervised exercise and/or an extended intervention period ("contemporary" exercise efficacy trials). Exercise effectiveness trials may emanate from the desire to test exercise interventions with proven efficacy ("traditional" exercise effectiveness trials) or the desire to test behavioral support interventions with proven feasibility ("contemporary" exercise effectiveness trials). Efficacy, effectiveness, and behavior change trials often differ in terms of their primary and secondary outcomes, theoretical models adopted, selection of participants, nature of the exercise and comparison interventions, nature of the behavioral support intervention, sample size calculation, and interpretation of trial results. Summary: Exercise researchers are encouraged to clarify the primary purpose of their trial to facilitate its design, conduct, and interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity (PA) is an important health behavior in almost any population but it may be particularly helpful for cancer survivors. Objective: To introduce this special issue on PA in cancer survivors and to provide a summary of its important contributions to the field. Methods: A brief historical review of PA research in cancer survivors followed by a narrative review of the articles published in this special issue. Results: This special issue contains 13 original articles reporting 15 studies on PA in cancer survivors. Just over half of the studies focus on breast cancer survivors, whereas the remainder focus on understudied cancer survivor groups such as lung, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, hematologic, and pediatric. Moreover, a majority of the studies focus on the survivorship phase of the cancer continuum. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this special issue is the number of studies focusing on the determinants of PA. Taken together, the 13 articles make significant contributions in four areas: (1) randomized controlled trials of PA interventions with supportive care endpoints, (2) observational studies on the determinants of PA, (3) observational studies on the ‘determinants of PA determinants’, and (4) studies on methodological and feasibility issues related to conducting PA trials. Conclusions: PA research is making an important contribution to the health and well-being of cancer survivors across the entire cancer control continuum. This special issue builds on this momentum and provides the single largest collective contribution of knowledge to date in the field of PA in cancer survivors. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the predictors of supervised exercise adherence in breast cancer patients initiating adjuvant chemotherapy in Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver, Canada. Objective attendance records were used to evaluate the adherence of the patients. Findings of univariate and multivariate analysis reveal that supervised exercise adherence has significant relations to the training location, disease stage and depression as well as patients' muscular strength, percent body fat and education. It was concluded that breast cancer patients' exercise adherence was not driven by motivational variables but by unique factors such as location, fitness and depression.

The article presents a study which provides population-based estimates of the risk factors, such as physical activity and obesity, in Canadian cancer survivors. Analysis of the data from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey suggests that cancer survivors have low levels of physical activity and that a high prevalence of obesity may place them at high risk for poorer disease outcomes. Findings recommend a population-based interventions that would improve the health of cancer survivors.

Background: Despite evidence of the benefits of exercise in cancer survivors, exercise participation rates end to decline after treatments. Few studies have examined the determinants of exercise in less common cancer sites. In this study, we examined medical, demographic, and social cognitive correlates of exercise in endometrial cancer survivors using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Methods: A mailed survey was completed by 354 endometrial cancer survivors (1 to 10 years postdiagnosis) residing in Alberta, Canada. The study was cross-sectional. Exercise behavior was assessed using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire and the TPB constructs were assessed with standard self-report scales. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the independent associations of the TPB constructs with intention and behavior. Results: Chi-square analyses indicated that marital status (p = .003), income level (p = .013), and body mass index (BMI) (p = .020) were associated with exercise. The TPB explained 34.1% of the variance in exercise behavior with intention (β = .38, p < .001) and self-efficacy (β = .18, p = .029) being independent correlates. For intention, 38.3% of the variance was explained by the TPB with self-efficacy (β = .34, p < .001) and affective attitude (β = .30, p < .001) being the independent correlates. The TPB mediated the associations of marital status and BMI with exercise but not income level. Age and BMI moderated the associations of the TPB with intention and behavior. Conclusion: The TPB may be a useful framework for understanding exercise in endometrial cancer survivors. Exercise behavior change interventions based on the TPB should be tested in this growing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited measurement variability may reduce the ability of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict desirable health behaviors. The primary purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of five different measurement scales on the variability and predictive validity of the TPB in the exercise domain. A secondary purpose was to test the utility of the “two-component” TPB model (i.e., affective and instrumental attitudes, injunctive and descriptive norms, and perceived control and self-efficacy). We randomly assigned 422 undergraduate students to complete one of the five measurement scales. Results showed that the four experimental scales significantly increased the variability in most TPB measures but did not improve the model's predictive validity. Moreover, support was found for the “two-component” model for attitude and subjective norm but not for perceived behavioral control. It was concluded that the standard 7-point scale is still the optimal measurement scale for the TPB and that the “two-component” model is superior to the traditional model in the exercise domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the exercise beliefs of breast cancer survivors before and after participation in a randomized trial. Prior to randomization, 52 breast cancer survivors completed exercise belief measures based on the theory of planned behavior. After the trial, participants assigned to the exercise group (n = 24) completed the belief measures again. Results show that there was significant variability in the expected benefits of exercise prerandomization, ranging from 40% for a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence to 94% for an improved energy level. Moreover, attitudes toward exercise and perceptions of control were higher in the exercise group after the exercise program. The findings are discussed in terms of the veracity of the exercise beliefs held by breast cancer survivors as well as the aspects of the program that may have contributed to the positive changes in exercise beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this study was to examine differences in quality of life (QoL) between non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) survivors meeting and not meeting public health exercise guidelines. A secondary purpose was to examine exercise behavior changes across three distinct cancer-related time periods (i.e. prediagnosis, on treatment and off treatment). Using a retrospective survey design, 438 NHL survivors residing in Alberta, Canada completed a mailed questionnaire that assessed self-reported exercise prediagnosis, on treatment and off treatment, and current QoL. Descriptive analyses indicated that 33.8, 6.5 and 23.7% of NHL survivors met public health exercise guidelines during prediagnosis, on treatment, and off treatment time periods, respectively. Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that NHL survivors meeting public health exercise guidelines during postdiagnosis time periods had higher current QoL scores than NHL survivors not meeting guidelines. QoL difference scores between the two groups met proposed standards for clinically important differences. Multivariate analyses also indicated significant differences in exercise behavior across the three cancer-related time periods (all p's<0.01). These analyses were unchanged after statistically controlling for important medical and demographic variables. The results of this study provide evidence that NHL survivors meeting public health exercise guidelines on and off treatment reported higher current QoL than those survivors not meeting guidelines. These findings corroborate research examining exercise behavior in other cancer survivor groups and provide preliminary data to support a randomized controlled trial on exercise and QoL in this population. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of exercise training on changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and other cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Fifty-three postmenopausal breast cancer survivors were randomly assigned to an exercise (n =25) or control group (n =28). The exercise group trained on cycle ergometers 3 times per week for 15 weeks. The control group did not train. The primary end point was change in CRP between baseline and week 15. Secondary end points were changes in RHR, HRR, SBP, DBP, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, and TC:HDL-C ratio. Fifty-two participants completed the trial. Baseline values did not differ between groups except that TG (p =.007) and TC:HDL-C ratio (p =.023) were higher in the exercise group. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that CRP decreased by 1.39mg/L in the exercise group whereas it increased by 0.10mg/L in the control group (mean between group change, −1.49mg/L; 95% CI, −3.09 to 0.10mg/L; p =.066). Intention-to-treat analysis also showed a clinically and statistically significant difference between groups for change in HRR (mean change, +10.6beats/min; 95% CI, +3.4 to +17.7beats/min; p =.004) and clinically but not statistically significant differences between groups for change in RHR (mean change, −5.5beats/min; 95% CI, −11.5 to +0.5beats/min; p =.073), SBP (mean change, −5.5mmHg; 95% CI, −14.5 to +3.4mmHg; p =.218), DBP (mean change,−3.6mmHg; 95% CI, −9.3 to +2.1mmHg; p =.214), and HDL-C (mean change, +0.05mmol/L; 95% CI, −0.03 to 0.14mmol/L; p =.214). These data suggest that exercise training may have beneficial effects on CRP and other cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Larger randomized controlled trials are warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives : Lack of exercise and excess body weight may exacerbate treatment-related declines in quality of life (QoL) in endometrial cancer survivors. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the associations among exercise, body weight, and QoL in a population-based sample of endometrial cancer survivors. Methods : Participants were 386 endometrial cancer survivors residing in Alberta, Canada who completed a mailed survey that assessed self-reported exercise, height, and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI) and QoL using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia (FACT-An) scale. Results : Descriptive data indicated that 70% of the sample were not meeting public health exercise guidelines and 72% were overweight or obese. Multivariate analyses of variance demonstrated that endometrial cancer survivors meeting public health guidelines for exercise and body weight reported significantly better QoL than survivors not meeting guidelines. The differences in QoL between the groups were clinically meaningful and were not altered when controlling for important demographic and medical variables. There were no interactions between exercise, BMI, age, or time since diagnosis. Lastly, multiple regression analysis identified that both exercise (β = .21; P &#60; .001) and BMI (β = −.17; P &#60; .001) were independently associated with QoL. Conclusions : These results suggest that exercise and body weight are important independent correlates of QoL in endometrial cancer survivors. Randomized controlled trials designed to test the causal effects of exercise and/or weight loss on QoL in endometrial cancer survivors are warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A leading theoretical model explaining informational and motivational influences on exercise behavior is the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Despite the relatively consistent performance of the TPB, over half of the variance remains unexplained in intention and behavior. One possibility for this unexplained variance may be underlying moderating effects that bias linear coefficients. The purpose of this study was to examine lower-order personality facet traits of neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness as moderators of the TPB. Hypotheses were generated based upon the specific personality traits and previous research, but all possible moderating effects were examined given the exploratory nature of the research. Participants were 298 undergraduate students (mean age=19.97) who completed measures of the TPB, personality, and a two-week follow-up of exercise behavior. Results showed that two personality facets (i.e., industriousness-ambition, irritability) significantly (p<0.01) moderated the relationship between the TPB and exercise behavior and two personality facets (i.e., insecurity, activity-adventurousness) significantly (p<0.01) moderated the relationship between the TPB and intention. The moderating effects were small-to-moderate (e.g., 3–4% additional explained variance). Theoretical and practical implications for exercise behavior were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study that examines the effect of different combination of intensity categories on self-reported exercise. Self-reports of exercise are used extensively in behavioral, social psychological, and epidemiological research. In the study, researchers hypothesized that the absence of lower intensity categories would cause respondents to report more exercise minutes in the higher intensity categories and that the absence of explicit higher intensity categories would cause respondents to report fewer total exercise minutes. Participants were 432 undergraduates from an introductory psychology course who received extra credit for completing the study.

Objectives: To replicate findings for a direct effect of the activity personality trait on exercise behavior while controlling for the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and to investigate a possible moderating effect for gender.Method: Undergraduate students (N=298) completed measures of the TPB, activity trait, and a two-week follow-up of exercise behavior.Results: The activity trait had a significant (p<0.01) direct effect on both exercise intention and behavior while controlling for the TPB, with no moderating effect of gender (p>0.05).Conclusions: The activity trait predicts exercise intention and behavior independent of social cognition even over a short two week period. The TPB may need to broaden its measurement domain in order to mediate the effect of personality on behavior. Moreover, exercise practitioners may need to consider personality when developing interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To examine predictors of adherence in a randomized controlled trial of resistance exercise training (RET) in prostate cancer survivors receiving androgen deprivation therapy.Study design and setting: A randomized controlled trial conducted at fitness centers in Ottawa and Edmonton, Canada. Prostate cancer survivors (n = 155) completed measures of social cognitive variables, quality of life (QOL), behavior, and fitness before being randomized to either an exercise (n = 82) or control (n = 73) group. The exercise group was asked to perform supervised RET three times per week for 12 weeks.Results: The exercise group attended 28.2 of the 36 (78.3%) RET sessions. Univariate analyses revealed eight different significant (Ps < .05) predictors of exercise adherence including exercise stage of change, intention, age, QOL, fatigue, subjective norm, leg-press test, and perceived behavioral control. A multivariate analysis indicated that there were three independent predictors of adherence that explained 20.4% of the variance: exercise stage of change (β = 0.26; P = .013), age (β = -0.22; P = .037), and intention (β = 0.19; P = .073).Conclusion: Exercise adherence in the trial was very good but not optimal. Adherence was predicted by variables from many different categories including social cognitive, QOL, behavioral, fitness, and demographic. These findings may have important implications for maximizing adherence during clinical trials of exercise in prostate cancer survivors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to examine postprogram exercise motivation and adherence in cancer survivor who participated in the Group Psychotherapy and Home-Based Physical Exercise (GROUP-HOPE: Counrneya, Friedenreich, Sela, Quinney, & Rhodes, 2002) trial. At the completion of the GROUP-HOPEtrial, 46 of 51 (90%) participants in the exercise group completed measures of attribution theory constructs. A 5-week follow-up self-report of exercised was then completed by 30 (65%) participants. Correlation analyses indicated that program exercise, perceived success, expected success, and affective reactions were strong predictors of postprogram exercise. In multivariate stepwise regression analyses, program exercise and perceived success were the strongest predictors of postprogram exercise. Additionally, perceived success was more important that objective success in understanding the attribution process, and it interacted with personal control to influence expected success and negative affect. Finally, postprogram quality of life and changes in physical fitness were correlates of perceived success. We concluded that attribution theory may have utility for understanding postprogram exercise motivation and adherence in cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the effects of 5 different numerical response scales—continuous-open, dichotomous-yes/no, and continuous-closed numerical (CCN) with 3 different ranges of response frequencies (low, medium, high)—on the proportion of respondents defined as regular exercisers. Methods: We randomly assigned 500 undergraduate students to complete 1 of the 5 numerical response scales. Results. The percentage of participants defined as regular exercisers ranged from 14% in the CCN low-frequency group to 45% in the CCN high-frequency group [χ² (4, 500) = 28.90; P<.001]. Conclusions: The different numerical response scales have a significant impact on the estimated percentage of regular exercisers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the variability found in the exercise intention-behavior relationship. Investigation of the social cognitive and personality correlates of intention translation; Measurement of social cognition, personality and exercise behavior; Use of discriminant function analysis.

Physical exercise has been shown to enhance quality of life (QOL) in cancer survivors using pretest–posttest designs and compared to usual care (i.e. no intervention). In the present study, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine if exercise could improve QOL in cancer survivors beyond the known benefits of group psychotherapy (GP). We matched 22 GP classes (N=108) on content and then randomly assigned 11 (n =48) to GP alone and 11 (n =60) to GP plus home-based, moderate-intensity exercise (GP+EX). Participants completed a physical fitness test and QOL measures (e.g. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scales) at the beginning and end of GP classes (about 10 weeks). We had excellent recruitment (81%), retention (89%), and adherence (84%) rates and a modest contamination (22%) rate. Using intention-to-treat repeated measures analyses of variance, we found significant Time by Condition interactions for functional well-being, fatigue, and sum of skinfolds. We also found borderline significant interactions for physical well-being, satisfaction with life, and flexibility. All interactions favored the GP+EX condition. We conclude that a home-based, moderate intensity exercise program may im-prove QOL in cancer survivors beyond the benefits of GP, particularly in relation to physical and functional well-being. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined correlates of adherence and contamination in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of exercise in cancer survivors using the theory of planned behavior and the Five Factor Model of personality (FFM). We randomly assigned cancer survivors in group psychotherapy classes to either a waiting-list control group (n = 45) or a home-based, moderate intensity exercise program (n = 51). At baseline, participants completed measures of the theory of planned behavior, the FFM, past exercise, physical fitness, medical variables, and demographics. We then monitored exercise over a 10-week period by weekly self-reports. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that the independent predictors of overall RCT exercise across both conditions were past exercise (β = .36, p < .001), assignment to experimental condition (β = .34, p < .001), sex (β = .30, p < .001), and intention (β = .14, p < .10). For exercise adherence in the exercise condition, the independent predictors were sex (β = .38, p < .01), extraversion (β = .30, p < .05), normative beliefs (β = -.27, p < .05), and perceived behavioral control (β = .23, p < .10). Finally, the independent predictors of exercise contamination in the control condition were past exercise (β = .70, p < .001), sex (β = .20, p < .05), and intention (β = .17, p < .10). We conclude that the correlates of exercise adherence and contamination differ in kind as well as in degree. Explanations for these findings and practical implications for conducting exercise RCTs in this population are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

purpose: Exercise has emerged as an important quality-of-life intervention for cancer survivors, but exercise motivation is a challenge. The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the exercise preferences of cancer survivors. description of study: A mailed, self-administered survey was completed by 307 survivors of prostate, breast, colorectal, or lung cancer. The survey contained questions on demographic and medical variables, past exercise, and various exercise counseling and programming preferences. results: For exercise counseling, 84% of participants said they preferred or maybe preferred to receive exercise counseling at some point during their cancer experience. Moreover, 85% preferred to receive exercise counseling face to face, and 77% preferred to receive it from an exercise specialist affiliated with a cancer center. For exercise programming, 98% preferred recreational exercises, 8!% preferred walking, 57% preferred unsupervised exercise (57%), and 56% preferred moderate-intensity exercise. In addition, 48% preferred to exercise in the morning, 44% preferred to exercise alone, 40% preferred to exercise at home, and 32% preferred to start their exercise program before treatment. Chi-square analyses revealed that a small number of exercise preferences were moderated by demographic, medical, and exercise variables. clinical implications: The results of this study indicate that cancer survivors have unique and varied exercise counseling and programming preferences. Fifty-six percent of cancer survivors preferred to exercise at moderate intensity rather than at high intensity. Moderate-intensity exercise has been shown previously to be relatively safe even for cancer survivors who are advanced in age. The key to success for inactive cancer survivors may be to provide reassurance that exercise is a safe and beneficial modality for cancer survivors and to prescribe an exercise program that builds their confidence by slowly... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

purpose: Physical exercise has been shown to help cancer survivors cope with treatment side effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the oncologist in promoting exercise in cancer survivors. description of study: Cancer survivors who had recently completed treatment (N = 311) were mailed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed the following: whether exercise was discussed during any of their treatment consultations; whether they preferred that exercise be discussed during this time; their perceived oncologist approval for exercise; and the amount of exercise they performed during treatment. results: Descriptive statistics showed that 28.4% of cancer survivors reported that their oncologist initiated a discussion of exercise during their treatment consultation, that 13.9% said that they initiated a discussion, and that 57.8% said that exercise was not discussed. Survivors younger than 60 years of age were more likely to initiate a discussion of exercise than were older survivors. Survivors whose oncologist initiated a discussion of exercise also reported a stronger normative belief for exercise, performing more frequent exercise during treatment, and performing more total minutes of exercise during treatment. Most (82.2%) survivors preferred that the oncologist initiate the discussion of exercise. clinical implications: These findings indicate that most cancer survivors responding to this survey preferred that their oncologist initiate a discussion of exercise. Such a discussion appears to increase survivor exercise levels during treatment. If confirmed in a prospective, randomized, controlled trial, the implication is that an oncologist-initiated discussion of exercise during treatment consultations may be a cost-effective strategy for promoting exercise in cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides a framework called Physical Exercise Across the Cancer Experience (PEACE) for organizing research on physical exercise and cancer control. Overview of the framework; Cancer control outcomes; Applications of the framework.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality and exercise participation across the breast cancer experience. Based on the Five-Factor Model and previous exercise research, it was hypothesized that high scores of extraversion (E) and conscientiousness (C), and low scores of neuroticism (N) would discriminate exercise stage during and following cancer treatment as well as changes in exercise stage across the cancer experience (i.e. from prediagnosis through treatment to posttreatment). Participants were 175 non-metastatic breast cancer survivors who completed a mailed questionnaire that assessed demographic and medical information, personality (the NEO-Five Factor Inventory), and exercise stage recalled for three time periods (prediagnosis, during treatment, and posttreatment). Multivariate analysis of variance showed differences in personality based on exercise stage both during cancer treatment and posttreatment and also for exercise pattern across the cancer experience. Univariate F -tests and post hoc analyses identified N, E, and C as the key personality dimensions. N was associated with earlier exercise stages and a maladaptive exercise pattern whereas E and C were associated with more advanced exercise stages and adaptive exercise patterns. It was concluded that personality may be an important determinant of exercise following breast cancer diagnosis. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understanding exercise after a cancer diagnosis, but studies are few and have been limited by retrospective designs, self-report measures of exercise and varied results. In the present study, we extended this research by using a prospective design and an objective measure of exercise adherence. Participants were a convenience sample of 24 breast cancer survivors attending a twice weekly, 12-week training program in preparation for a dragon boat race competition. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire that assessed demographic and medical variables, past exercise, and the TPB (i.e. beliefs, subjective norm, attitude, perceived behavioral control and intention). Program attendance was monitored over a 12-week period by the class instructor. Overall, participants attended 66% of the training sessions. Multiple regression analyses indicated that: (a) intention was the sole determinant of program attendance and explained 35% of the variance; (b) the TPB constructs explained 49% of the variance in intention with subjective norm being the most important determinant; and (c) the key underlying beliefs were support from physician, spouse, and friends, and confidence in being able to attend the training class when having limited time, no one to exercise with, fatigue, and other health problems. Based on this preliminary study, it was concluded that the TPB may provide a good framework on which to base interventions designed to promote exercise in breast cancer survivors. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a health-based versus appearance-based persuasive message on exercise attitudes and intentions and to determine if these effects were moderated by the personality trait of self-monitoring. Two hundred and seven undergraduate university students completed the self-monitoring questionnaire and read persuasive messages of either physical appearance advantages or health benefits of exercise before completing measures of exercise attitude and intention. The results of the 2 (self-monitoring) X 2 (message-type) MANOVA on the dependent variables of attitude and intention was significant (p < .05). Post-hoc analysis found that low self-monitoring individuals responded with significantly stronger attitude scores from exposure to the health-based message than the appearance-based message. Further, the health-based message produced significantly higher attitude scores among low self-monitors than high self-monitors. These results suggest interventions utilizing exercise motives may require consideration of a participant's propensity to self-monitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary evidence indicates that physical exercise may be an effective strategy for the rehabilitation of cancer patients following high dose chemotherapy (HDC) and bone marrow transplantation (BMT), but the focus of this research has been on physical fitness and medical outcomes. In the present study, we employed a prospective design to examine the relationship between physical exercise and various quality of life (QOL) indices in 25 BMT patients. Participants completed weekly self-administered questionnaires upon being admitted to hospital, and monitored the frequency and duration of their exercise during hospitalization. Statistical analyses indicated that exercise during hospitalization was significantly correlated with almost all QOL indices, including physical well-being, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety and days hospitalized. Moreover, only some of the correlations were attenuated after controlling for relevant demographic and medical variables. It was concluded that physical exercise may be related to QOL in BMT patients, but that experimental research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: From the time of diagnosis, breast cancer survivors' physical activity (PA) tends to decline, which is accentuated during treatment because of side effects such as fatigue, depression, decreased muscle mass, and treatment toxicity. The My Active Health Retreat has been created to provide community-based support for breast cancer survivors to engage in a healthy lifestyle and educate about health matters. This qualitative study explores participants' perspectives and past, present, and future experiences regarding the workshops offered during the My Active Health retreat. Materials and Methods: My Active Health retreat has been designed to provide strategies to engage in a physically active lifestyle. Participants who consented to be part of this qualitative study filled out a questionnaire to provide their experiences and perspectives of the retreat. Themes were generated to help understand the participants' views about their experiences with the workshop's content in the retreat. Results: The participants were 21 women (mean age of 54.5 years) who filled out the post-retreat questionnaire. Workshops on yoga, meditation, exercise, and walking were highly praised for reducing stress and anxiety and promoting mindfulness. The importance of social contact in alleviating survivors' feelings of isolation was emphasized. The participants expressed their intention to incorporate the knowledge from the retreat into their daily lives. Conclusions: This study provides significant insights that can guide the development of content in health retreats focused on PA for breast cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary evidence indicates that physical exercise may be an effective strategy for helping cancer patients cope with the negative side-effects of their treatment. The purpose of the present study was to examine the utility of the theory of planned behavior in understanding cancer patients' motivation to exercise during treatment. A total of 164 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous 2 years participated in the study. A retrospective design was used wherein these women were asked to recall their beliefs and exercise behavior during cancer treatment using a self-administered, mailed questionnaire. Results showed that: (1) the salient beliefs of breast cancer patients concerning exercise were different from those of the healthy population; (2) intention and perceived behavioral control were significant determinants of exercise during cancer treatment; and, (3) attitude and subjective norm were significant determinants of intention. It was concluded that the theory of planned behavior may be a viable framework on which to base interventions designed to promote exercise during cancer treatment. The results of this study are preliminary, however, and more sophisticated research designs to examine this question are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the relationships among perceived outcome, causal attributions, affect, expected success, and intentions to exercise following a structured exercise program. Participants were 105 volunteers who had just completed a 12-week exercise program. Results indicated that perceived outcome over objective outcome (% attendance) was significantly more important for understanding the attribution process. Interesting interactions indicated that (a) individuals who made personally controllable attributions reported higher positive affect following perceived success, but lower positive affect following perceived failure than those who made personally uncontrollable attributions, and (b) individuals who made external attributions following perceived failure reported higher expected success than those who made internal attributions. Finally, both positive affect and expected success showed positive relationships with intention to exercise following the program. It was suggested that attribution theory may be beneficial to understanding continued exercise following structured exercise programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines cognitive constructs from the theory of planned behavior, such as attitude, perceived behavioral control and intention, as potential mediators of the relationship between selected social influence constructs and adherence to structured exercise classes. Correlation of social support with perceived behavioral control.

Examines the effect of a decision balance sheet (DBS) intervention on attendance at a university fitness facility. Framework that may be helpful in examining the timing of a DBS intervention; Importance of pros and cons listed by each individual in the relevant DBS condition.

Purpose: The efficacy of exercise in men with prostate cancer (PCa) on active surveillance (AS) remains unclear. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine the effects of exercise in PCa patients on AS. Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library using search terms, including exercise, PCa, AS, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The means and standard deviations for peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and quality of life (QoL) were extracted for the intervention and control groups. A random-effects model was used to summarize the effects of exercise. Results: Of the 158 identified studies, six RCTs with 332 patients were included. The interventions included lifestyle modifications (aerobic exercise + diet) in three studies and different exercise modalities in three studies. The intervention duration was 2–12 months; three interventions were supervised and three were self-directed. The pooled weighted mean difference between exercise and usual care for VO2peak was 1.42 mL/kg/min (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.30 to 2.54, P ≤ 0.001). A non-significant effect was observed for QoL (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.24, 95% CI: − 0.03 to 0.51, P = 0.08) which became statistically significant and stronger after excluding one outlier study (P < 0.001). Exercise also had a positive effect on PSA levels (pooled SMD: − 0.43, 95% CI: − 0.87 to 0.01, P = 0.05). Conclusion: Exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness and may improve QoL and PSA levels in men with PCa on AS. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to obtain more reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]