Abstract 2238: Reducing cardiovascular disease risk in cancer survivors: Impact of a 16-week circuit-based interval exercise intervention
Authors: Normann Amber J. , Wilson Rebekah L. , Christopher Cami N. , Norris Mary K. , Cuomo Simone , Dieli-Conwright Christina M. 
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Obesity and physical inactivity pose a significant health concern for cancer survivors in developing comorbid conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome that lead to a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, regular physical activity plays a central role in reducing the risk of CVD. The Framingham risk score (FRS) is an established assessment of CVD risk that combines six risk factors including age, gender, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking status. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of a 16-week circuit, interval-based exercise training intervention on FRS and the 10-year FRS-predicted risk of developing CVD among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors.

Methods: This single center, pilot randomized controlled trial consisted of 90 sedentary, overweight or obese (BMI &gt; 25.0 kg/m2) survivors of breast, prostate or colorectal cancers, randomized to exercise (n=60) or usual care (n=30). The 16-week intervention comprised supervised moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic (65-85% of VO2max) and resistance (65-85% of 1-repetition maximum) exercise sessions conducted in a circuit-based interval fashion, occurring three times per week. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and post-intervention time points to measure fasting plasma levels of HDL-C and LDL-C, along with resting systolic blood pressure and diagnosis of diabetes. Paired t-test and repeated measure ANOVA were used to determine between-group differences.

Results: Participants (age 63.2 ± 10.8 years) were diagnosed with breast (35%), prostate (30%), and colorectal (35%) cancers and consisted of 55% female participants, participants had a mean BMI of 34.7±5.9, and 85% were obese. Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy was completed by 75% of participants. Retention and adherence rates to exercise were high (100% and 92%, respectively). Compared to usual care, circuit, interval-based exercise significantly reduced total FRS (between group mean difference, -12.0 points p&lt;0.001) and 10-year CVD risk (-10.0%; p&lt;0.001).

Conclusions: This study underscores the critical role of circuit-based, interval exercise interventions in mitigating the elevated cardiovascular risk faced by sedentary, overweight, or obese cancer survivors. The significant reduction in FRS components highlights the potential of structured exercise programs to enhance cardiovascular health, thereby reducing the burden of comorbid conditions and CVD risk in cancer survivors.

Citation Format: Amber J. Normann, Rebekah L. Wilson, Cami N. Christopher, Mary K. Norris, Simone Cuomo, Christina M. Dieli-Conwright. Reducing cardiovascular disease risk in cancer survivors: Impact of a 16-week circuit-based interval exercise intervention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2238.