Breast cancer survivors, who lose muscle mass, can benefit from strength training

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Lynn Panton, Florida State University and Ashley Artese, Roanoke College

(THE CONVERSATION) Breast cancer research has resulted in improved survival rates. As a result, there are 3.1 million breast cancer survivors alive in the United States today. The five-year survival rate is about 90 percent. This is great news.

Aimed at, survivors are still left to struggle with many adverse effects of cancer treatments, which include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal suppression drugs that are used to suppress hormones that may have fueled the breast cancer.

Particularly worrisome side effects are accelerated losses in bone mineral density and muscle mass – with gains in fat mass. These changes can lead to osteoporosis and fractures, and can be reduced to poorer survival rates.

These side effects can increase the overall risk of cancer and increase the risk of cancer.

Over the last 10 years, our laboratory has been evaluating the effects of exercise, specifically resistance-type exercise on muscle mass, fat mass, bone mineral density, strength, physical function and quality of life in breast cancer survivors.

Survivors, already tough, get tougher and stronger

One of our first studies found that breast cancer survivors had lower strength, and had not had cancer. Many of the breast cancer survivors had their upper body after surgery, especially in the upper body, and were never advised to increase upper-body strength after surgery or sites had healed.

In our three-month and six-month intervention studies, we found a 25 percent improvement in both upper and lower body strength. Physical function and quality of life also improved, with no adverse effects on lymphedema, or swelling that can occur from lymph nodes, with low-intensity or high-intensity resistance training. Even the women who participated in high-intensity resistance training and increased the benefit of increasing muscle mass in both the upper and lower body after the training.

In these two studies, women performed three or six months of resistance training on two nonconsecutive days each week. In the studies, the participants performed two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise. The exercises included chest press, biceps curl, triceps press down, overhead press, seated row, leg press, leg extension, leg curls, abdominal crunches and lower back hyperextensions. The amount of weight was increased to 10 to 12 repetitions on all sets.

Although we did not find it in our six-month training study, we did not experience any of these measures over the training period. Bone mineralization has been shown to decrease by 1 to 2 percent each year after menopause, and may be higher in menopause. Therefore, being able to maintain a positive outcome, especially in the upper body, which is more likely to be affected by cancer treatment and disuse.

There are a limited number of studies that have been evaluated Of those studies, only maintenance in bone mineral density has been found.

In studies with healthy premenopausal women, women have been able to achieve an increase in bone mineral density with resistance training. The benefits are high-impact, such as jumping, hopping and plyometrics. Plyometrics are exercises that require one to jump down and jump up in one continuous movement. It involves repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles.

In postmenopausal women and in some breast cancer survivors, most increases in bone mineral density are seen when resistance is combined with medications that help to build bone.

More benefits on horizon

In our third intervention study, we have introduced a number of different types of impulse, which have been found to be more effective than others.

This study incorporates a six-month circuit of functional resistance training that combines high-impact and high-impact training. Exercises included lunges, squats, jumping jacks, burpees, push-ups, dumbell rows, mountain climbers, step-ups, biceps curls, triceps extensions, running in place, high knee lifts and planks. The women progressed to higher-impact versions of these exercises through the six months. The exercise sessions lasted 45 minutes and were completed twice a week.

In this intervention, we used a group exercise format, as many breast cancer survivors report that they prefer to exercise with one other person or a group setting compared to exercising alone.

We compare this functional impact training program to a program of yin yoga, or to slower-paced yoga in which postures are held for longer periods, which consist of non-weight-bearing stretching and relaxation postures. We have evaluated the effects on body composition, bone mineral density, strength, physical function and quality of life over the six-month period.

We are currently analyzing the data for this project, but so far, the results look promising. Both the functional impact training and the yin yoga were effective in improving lower-body strength, physical function and quality of life. The functional impact of breast cancer is particularly important in the breast cancer population. Unfortunately, the functional impact training program was not effective in improving body composition or bone mineral density.

These findings will help to make sure that their patients will be able to improve their body composition, strength, physical function, and ultimately quality of life. There are a number of exercises and programs available for women to choose from. For women who can not get away from it all, they can feel better, they can provide better results than they can.

The studies also suggest that women can achieve greater benefits with higher-intensity resistance training and high-intensity functional training than incorporates intervals of strength and aerobic exercises.

This article is republished from the Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/breast-cancer-survivors-who-lose-muscle-mass-can-benefit-from-strength-training-studies-suggest-102461.