Self-Reported Exercise Behavior and Short-Term Patient Outcomes in Women Undergoing Radiation Treatment for Operable Breast Cancer

Exercise behavior will be defined as patient reported mean total minutes (frequency x duration) of mild, moderate, and vigorous-intensity physical exercise per week over the past month at baseline (prior to enrollment in the study). In addition we will collect patient reported mean total minutes per week of mild, moderate, and vigorous-intensity physical exercise over the course of radiation therapy.Baseline characteristics including demographic data (age, education, employment) as well as BMI, waist to hip ratio, and health comorbidities (including smoking status, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes) will also be collected. BMI and health comorbidities will be extracted from the chart. Patient-Reported Outcomes will include QOL, fatigue, depression, pain and sleep. QOL will be assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) scale developed for the assessment of patient symptoms and QOL in cancer patients. Fatigue will be assessed using the 13-item FACT-fatigue scale for the assessment of fatigue in cancer patients.Skin toxicity will be defined as radiation dermatitis, pruritus, and pain. Lymphedema will be assessed by measuring limb girth. Measurements will be taken by first marking both limbs while patient is lying supine, starting at the ulnar styloid at 5cm intervals on the length of the arms. The diameter of the limb will then be measured at these markings. Based on these measurements, the affected limb will be compared to the unaffected limb. Range of motion will be defined as reduced abduction compared to the contralateral shoulder . All measurements will be taken with a goniometer.