Baduanjin's impact on quality of life and sleep quality in breast cancer survivors receiving aromatase inhibitor therapy: a randomized controlled trial

Author: Jingwen Liao1,2, Yanyu Chen3, Li Cai4, Kun Wang5, Shenghui Wu6, Lan Wu4, Bixiao Song3, Min Hu1, Xiaohui Hou3,7,8
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China. <sup>2</sup> Scientific Research Center, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China. <sup>3</sup> Department of Sports and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China. <sup>4</sup> Department of Martial Arts, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China. <sup>5</sup> Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People&#x27;s General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China. <sup>6</sup> Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health San Antonio, Laredo, TX, United States. <sup>7</sup> School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China. <sup>8</sup> The Sports and Health Promotion International Collaboration and Innovation Center for People with Disability, Guangzhou, China.
Conference/Journal: Front Oncol
Date published: 2022 Aug 5
Other: Volume ID: 12 , Pages: 807531 , Special Notes: doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.807531. , Word Count: 244


Purpose:
The aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese exercise, on quality of life and sleep quality in breast cancer survivors receiving aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy.

Methods:
A total of 72 breast cancer survivors who had received AI treatment for more3 than 6 months were enrolled in the current study using non-probability consecutive sampling procedure. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to a 12-week Baduanjin exercise program or to a wait-list control group. The Baduanjin exercise group performed two 90-min supervised sessions per week. The primary outcomes were changes in quality of life measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and in sleep quality evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Results:
A total of 68 participants completed the trial (Baduanjin exercise group: n = 33; control group: n = 35). Baseline values for quality of life did not differ between groups. Both global quality of life and physical functioning scores increased significantly by 12.39 (P < 0.001) and 8.48 (P < 0.001) in the Baduanjin exercise group compared with those in the control. Overall PSQI score also decreased by 4.85 (P < 0.001) in the Baduanjin exercise group, whereas it increased by 0.34 in the control group.

Conclusion:
Baduanjin exercise training led to improvement in the quality of life and sleep quality of breast cancer patients undergoing AI therapy.

Keywords: Baduanjin exercise; aromatase inhibitor therapy; breast cancer survivors; quality of life; sleep quality.

PMID: 35992855 PMCID: PMC9388824 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.807531