Physical activity for prevention of breast cancer recurrence: a longitudinal study of molecular mechanisms (Cancerbeat-2)

Breast cancer (BC) ranks as the most prevalent cancer among women, with about 2.3 million new cases diagnosed worldwide each year. While innovations in BC treatment helps to recover, patients may experience long-term physical, social, and psychological distress affecting their quality of life. Moreover, the risk of recurrent BC maintains for the first 5 -10 years after diagnosis. Increasing evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) can improve inflammatory factor levels and prevent BC recurrence. The aim of the CancerBeat-2 study is to gain deeper understanding into molecular mechanisms behind the effect of PA on health risk factors related to recurrence of the BC during12-18 months after the treatment. Also, this study will elucidate association of physical capacity, quality of life, daily PA and blood biomarkers characterizing immune response as a preventive measure of the recurrent BC. The outcomes will be compared between women who during neoadjuvant therapy participated in high intensity aerobic interval training intervention and standard-of-care group (CancerBeat, 2021-24). To our knowledge this will be the first study in Latvia addressing interdisciplinary approach in follow-up care of BC patients with focus on association of exercise induced biomolecular changes and their potential to describe risks of recurrent BC. This is interdisciplinary project combining oncology, molecular and cellular biology, biomarker discovery, exercise physiology and rehabilitation.