Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Tweaks May Save Lives.
I am an oncologist.
I see hundreds of patients with breast cancer.
Every year.
A recent study highlights the positive impact of a healthy diet and exercise intervention during chemotherapy, particularly in breast cancer patients.
Researchers examined breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy before therapy.
We, oncologists, call this approach neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with neo meaning “before” and adjuvant meaning “in addition to [surgery].”
Lifestyle and Outcomes After Neoadjuvant Chemo
We start with an interesting hypothesis: Exercise and a high-quality diet can improve chemotherapy completion rates and breast cancer prognosis.
Before we get to the study findings, I need to introduce pCR.
A pathologic complete response (pCR) is the complete disappearance of all invasive cancer in the breast or regional lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy given before surgery).
A pathologic complete response is a strong predictor of long-term outcomes.
Physical Activity
The lifestyle intervention group’s subjects relied on counseling sessions and home-based exercise, including a progressive strength training program.
The lifestyle group activities focused on brisk walking, aiming for at least 150 minutes weekly of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity).
The intervention group also did twice-weekly resistance training.
Diet
The nutrition counseling promoted:
A mostly plant-based diet (modified for flavor and texture as needed) and optimal glucose management.
The counselors recommended the following daily intake:
- A combination of at least five servings of fruits or vegetables
- At least 25 grams of fiber
- No added sugars
- No more than 18 ounces of red meat
- Limited consumption of processed foods
- No more than a single alcohol-containing beverage
Study Results – Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Tweaks May Save Lives
The results are impressive.
Those assigned to the lifestyle intervention group had a higher pathologic complete response than the usual care group (53 versus 29 percent).
These positive outcomes were limited to women with hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative or triple-negative (not driven by estrogen, progesterone, or HER2) breast cancer subtypes.
Key Takeaways – Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Tweaks May Save Lives
Here’s how it breaks down:
- Key Findings: The intervention improved adherence to diet and exercise guidelines compared to usual care.
- Clinical Outcome: While it didn’t affect the chemotherapy dose intensity, the diet and exercise intervention was linked to a higher pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with certain breast cancer subtypes.
The findings suggest lifestyle interventions could enhance treatment effectiveness in certain breast cancer subtypes.
Further research is needed to confirm these results, but I am delighted that lifestyle maneuvers can help us destroy cancer cells.
Bravo to the study authors and the wonderful volunteers who joined the study.
Final Thoughts – Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Tweaks May Save Lives
This research suggests that a structured program promoting a healthy diet and exercise during chemotherapy can lead to:
- Better adherence: Patients are more likely to follow recommended dietary and exercise guidelines.
- Potential treatment benefit: In specific breast cancer subtypes (hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative or triple-negative), there appears to be an increased chance of achieving a complete pathologic response (no cancer found in the breast tissue or lymph nodes after surgery).
- No impact on relative dose intensity: The intervention didn’t affect the amount of chemotherapy delivered.
Key takeaways – Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Tweaks May Save Lives
- Lifestyle matters during treatment: This study highlights the potential positive impact of healthy lifestyle choices even during challenging cancer treatments.
- Targeted benefits: The potential treatment benefit observed in certain breast cancer subtypes warrants further investigation to confirm and understand this effect.
- We need more research. More studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the long-term implications of such interventions.
Of course, it is essential to discuss any lifestyle changes during cancer treatment with your healthcare team.
They can provide personalized advice and ensure that any changes are safe and appropriate for your specific situation.
If you or someone you know is undergoing cancer treatment, consider discussing the potential benefits of a healthy lifestyle intervention with their healthcare provider.
I am especially proud that I have been recommending — for over three decades — lifestyle interventions for patients receiving cancer treatment.
Thank you for reading “Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Tweaks May Save Lives.”
