María Alonso-Dueñas

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a high‐intensity interval‐training (HIIT) or stretching‐balance intervention 3 weeks prior to surgery in two hormone receptor‐positive and human‐epidermal growth‐factor receptor 2‐negative breast cancer patients. Patient 1 (58 years, stage IIA ductal carcinoma) performed a preoperative exercise program, and Patient 2 (63 years, stage IIB ductal carcinoma) underwent stretching‐balance intervention. Tumor Ki67, body composition, oxygen uptake, inflammatory biomarkers, and psychological variables were measured before the intervention (T1), and prior to tumor resection (T2). Ki67 remained unchanged in Patient 2 and decreased by 28.6% in Patient 1. Patient 1 maintained her body mass (BM) and body mass index (BMI) with minor variation, while Patient 2 slightly increased her BM and BMI. Both patients increased their fat mass (FM) and %FM and decreased lean body mass (LBM) and %LBM, although to different extents. Peak oxygen uptake increased in Patient 1 and decreased in Patient 2. Interleukin‐6 decreased, and C‐reactive protein increased in both patients. Patient 1 showed a reduction in depressive symptoms, while Patient 2 exhibited no changes. Based on this case report, presurgical HIIT intervention appears to be a more promising exercise approach. However, larger scale‐controlled studies will be needed.

This systematic review investigated the effects of exercise interventions combined with diet and/or dietary supplement interventions on anthropometry, body composition, metabolic biomarkers, physical function, healthy lifestyles, quality of life, psychosocial variables and fatigue for women with breast cancer. A systematic search was performed in the PubMed and Web of Science databases (from inception to 1 March 2022). A review was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The methodological quality and the risk of bias of the included studies was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. A total of 13 randomised controlled trial studies were included, comprising 1569 breast cancer patients. The main finding of this systematic review is that groups performing interventions combining exercise plus diet show significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, body composition, quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, depression and sleep compared to control groups. On the other hand, the use of interventions combining exercise plus supplementation does not result in an improvement compared to groups using exercise alone or supplementation alone.