LB51
Lifestyle intervention reduces mild/moderate depression and improves quality of life in breast cancer patients
Emma Scott1, Amanda Daley2, Robert Coleman4, Nanette Mutrie3, Hilary Powers4, Nicola Woodroofe1, Helen Crank1, John Saxton1
1Sheffield Hallam University, UK; 2University of Birmingham, UK; 3Strathclyde University, Glasgow, UK; 4University of Sheffield, UK
Background
Almost 50% of women experience clinically significant depression or anxiety
in the year after breast cancer diagnosis and symptoms can persist for up to
five years after treatment, irrespective of outcome [1]. Negative
psychological experiences can impact upon patients quality of life, another
important clinical outcome. The presence of depression might also
influence treatment outcomes, as well as risk of disease recurrence and death
[2]. Regular exercise has the potential to alleviate depressive symptoms
in both the general population and clinical populations [3].
Method
Ninety overweight (BMI>25kg.m-2) sedentary women who had completed
treatment for primary breast cancer up to eighteen months previously were
randomised into two groups: six-month lifestyle intervention (n=47, aged
55.61.5yrs) and usual-care control (n=43, aged 55.91.4yrs). The lifestyle
intervention comprised three supervised exercise sessions per week and weekly
nutritional education seminars. Women attended, on average, 79.9% of
prescribed sessions. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Perceived
Stress Scale (PSS), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT-G)
and Breast (FACT-B) were completed at the start and end of the intervention
period. FACT-G and FACT-B measure quality of life.
Results
There were no significant differences between groups at baseline for
BDI-II, PSS, FACT-G or FACT-B (all p>.20). Mixed within and between
subjects ANOVAs revealed significant interaction effects between group and time
for BDI-II (p<.01), FACT-G (p<.05) and FACT-B (p<.01).
The intervention group showed a significantly greater reduction in BDI-II score
and greater increases in both FACT-G and FACT-B scores than the control group.
Conclusion
These findings show that supervised exercise and nutritional advice can
reduce depression and improve quality of life after breast cancer
treatment. Further exploration of how such lifestyle advice could be
incorporated into the routine care of women treated for breast cancer is
needed.
References
[1] Burgess, C., Cornelius, V., Love, S., Graham, J., Richards, M. &
Ramirez, A. (2005) Depression and anxiety in women with early breast cancer:
five year observational cohort study. BMJ 330:702-705
[2] Goodwin, J.S., Zhang, D.D. & Ostir, G.V. (2004) Effect of depression on
diagnosis, treatment and survival of older women with breast cancer. Journal of
the American Geriatrics Society 52:106-111
[3] Brosse, A.L., Sheets, E., Lett, H.S. & Blumentthal, J.A. (2002)
Exercise and the treatment of clinical depression in adults: Recent findings
and future directions. Sports Medicine 32:741-760
