The overall focus of this study remains the investigation of associations between p16 and assessments (independent and patient-reported) of chemotherapy-related toxicity (adverse events and symptoms) and patient-reported measures of function and quality of life. The research team has determined that p16 increases dramatically during chemotherapy and that p16 levels among persons of similar age are lower among those who exercise as compared to those who are sedentary. The research team hypothesizes that engagement in physical activity during chemotherapy will have a moderating effect on increases in p16 levels during chemotherapy. To test this hypothesis, the study proposes to build on a completed trial, LCCC1334, and enroll 200 evaluable patients age 21-64 with a Stage I-III breast cancer diagnosis who are about to start adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in an intervention that entails both aerobic and resistance exercises.
Results from both LCCC1334 and LCCC1410 and the proposed study, LCCC1749, will be used to provide evidence for a future grant application to conduct a randomized controlled trial in a larger study population to (1) establish the effect of physical activity on p16 levels during chemotherapy and (2) further evaluate how baseline and post-chemotherapy p16 levels correlate with measures of treatment-related toxicity and patient-reported outcomes over time. Findings from this study will also provide preliminary evidence for further investigations of the potential benefits of exercise during early breast cancer chemotherapy for (1) reducing the incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy and (2) managing the interface of fatigue and perceived cognition deficits.
