Exercise Program for Early Breast Cancer Survivors

Rationale: Exercise therapy may improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: This randomized clinical trial studies exercise therapy and quality of life in postmenopausal early breast cancer survivors receiving aromatase inhibitor therapy.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine whether a 16-week exercise intervention will improve components of metastasis (MetS) in breast cancer survivors soon after completion of cancer-related treatments by measuring changes in body composition, waist circumference, blood pressure, and serum levels of insulin, glucose, lipids, C-reactive protein, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

II. To determine whether a 16-week exercise intervention will improve physical fitness in breast cancer survivors soon after completion of cancer-related treatments by measuring cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength.

III. To assesses the feasibility of a supervised exercise intervention in early breast cancer survivors.

IV. To determine whether a 16-week exercise intervention will result in a reduction in adipose tissue inflammation in obese breast cancer survivors soon after completion of cancer-related treatments by measuring ATM phenotype and ATM cytokine expression.

V. To determine whether breast cancer survivors can maintain positive benefits of an exercise intervention following a 12-week follow-up period by measuring changes in body composition, waist circumference, blood pressure, and serum levels of insulin, glucose, lipids, C-reactive protein, and HbA1c, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength.

OUTLINE:

Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

Arm I (Control): Patients refrain from increasing physical activity levels for 16 weeks.

Arm II (Exercise): Patients participate in supervised exercise sessions over 60 minutes thrice weekly and are encouraged to participate in a home-based exercise session over 30-45 minutes once weekly for 16 weeks.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Newly diagnosed (I-III) with a first primary invasive breast cancer
* Have undergone a lumpectomy or mastectomy
* Have completed neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy and able to initiate Exercise program (if randomized to that arm) within 12 weeks of therapy completion
* Body mass index (BMI) \> 25 kg/m\^2 or body fat \> 30% (determined by Dr. Dieli-Conwright at baseline visit)
* Currently participate in less than 60 minutes of physical activity per week May use adjuvant endocrine therapy if use will be continued for duration of study period
* Nonsmokers (i.e., not smoking during previous 12 months)
* Willing to travel to the exercise facility and USC
* Able to provide physician clearance to participate in exercise program
* Women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds will be included in the study enrollment process

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of chronic disease including diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension or thyroid disease
* Weight reduction \>= 10% within past 6 months
* Diagnosed with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive tumor (exclusion due to patient use of Herceptin medication for 1 year following chemotherapy)
* Metastatic disease
* Planned reconstructive surgery with flap repair during trial and follow-up period
* Cardiovascular, respiratory or musculoskeletal disease or joint problems that preclude moderate physical activity