Higher Level of Sports Activities Participation During the Five-year Survival Was Associated With Better Quality of Life Among Chinese Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract BackgroundTo investigate the association between level of sports activities participation at post-diagnosis and quality of life (QoL) among Chinese women with early-stage breast cancer patients during the first five years of survival.MethodsA validated modified Chinese Baecke questionnaire was used to prospectively measure sports activities among a breast cancer cohort at four time-points: baseline (sports activities during the previous 12 months before cancer diagnosis), 18-, 36- and 60-month after diagnosis (sports activities during the previous 12 months before each interview); QoL was measured at the same time. ResultsIn total, 1289, 1125 and 1116 patients were included into the analyses at 18-, 36- and 60-month follow-up, respectively. The percentages of patients who belonged to no [0 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-hours per week], low-level (<10 MET-hours/week) and high-level (≥10 MET-hours/week) sports activities group were 20.7%, 45.5% and 33.8% at 18-month follow-up, respectively; the corresponding figures at 36- (29.4%, 38.9% and 31.6%, respectively) and 60-month (32.8%, 36.7% and 30.5%, respectively) differed slightly. Using data from the three follow-ups, Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) analyses showed that higher level of sports activities participation was associated with better QoL in several items, including global health status/QoL, physical functioning, role functioning and emotional functioning (P for trend < 0.05 for all), as well as less symptoms in fatigue, pain, loss of appetite and constipation (P for trend < 0.05 for all). ConclusionsThe present findings in Chinese women with breast cancer provided another important evidence on the beneficial effect of regularly participation in sports activities following cancer diagnosis and patients’ QoL. Health promotion programs should be encouraged with the inclusion of regular sports activities after breast cancer diagnosis.