Aerobic Exercise During Chemotherapy May Improve Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Patients

In a promising development for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a new clinical trial has found that starting an aerobic exercise regimen at the onset of chemotherapy can help reduce cognitive symptoms commonly referred to as “chemo-brain.” Women in the study who began aerobic exercise alongside their chemotherapy treatment reported improvements in cognitive function and quality of life compared to those who received standard care. Published in CANCER, a journal of the American Cancer Society, these findings suggest exercise could play a role in mitigating the mental fog often experienced during cancer treatment.

The Aerobic exercise and CogniTIVe functioning in women with breAsT cancEr (ACTIVATE) trial involved 57 women with stage I-III breast cancer in Ottawa and Vancouver, Canada. Participants were split into two groups: 28 women started a structured aerobic exercise program at the beginning of chemotherapy, while the remaining 29 delayed exercise until after completing chemotherapy. Cognitive assessments were conducted at baseline and post-chemotherapy, allowing researchers to compare self-reported cognitive outcomes between the two groups.

Women who exercised during chemotherapy reported feeling better able to focus, remember, and process information compared to those in the non-exercise group. However, objective neuropsychological tests did not reveal significant differences in cognitive performance between the groups. This discrepancy highlights the subjective benefits that patients experience with exercise, such as improved perceived cognitive function and overall well-being, despite similar objective cognitive outcomes.

These findings underscore the potential role of exercise as a complementary strategy for managing cognitive symptoms in breast cancer patients. “Exercise assessment, recommendation, and referral could become a routine part of cancer care,” said lead author Jennifer Brunet, PhD, of the University of Ottawa. She emphasized that exercise programs tailored to the specific needs of women with breast cancer could empower patients to actively manage their mental health during and after treatment. Given that many breast cancer patients remain insufficiently active during chemotherapy, expanding access to appropriate exercise programs may offer significant benefits.

Collaborations between healthcare, fitness, and community sectors could make such exercise programs more accessible to women with breast cancer. With targeted support, exercise could serve as a feasible intervention to improve quality of life and potentially mitigate cognitive symptoms during challenging cancer treatments.