Researchers are investigating how to improve the quality of life of women returning to work after breast cancer, thanks to new funding from Breast Cancer Now.
The research and support charity has awarded £101,028 to Dr Rebecca Vince at the University of Hull to trial a new exercise programme designed to provide women with skills, knowledge and confidence to adopt a healthier lifestyle when returning to work after breast cancer.
With changes in retirement ages and advances in breast cancer treatments, there are a higher number of women now returning to the workforce following their treatment.
However, adapting to life after treatment for breast cancer and returning to work can be difficult, with one in three women experiencing persistent tiredness after treatment, and almost half (48%) of women experiencing depression and anxiety. A tailored exercise programme could help women to manage these issues and help them return to work.
Physical activity has been shown to improve cancer-related fatigue, reduce the risk of breast cancer relapse, and has positive effects on mental health and wellbeing - yet there are few programmes available that specifically support women to start an exercise programme after breast cancer treatment.
This study will see researchers trial a new personalised 12-week home-based exercise programme with 90 women with lived experience of breast cancer who have returned to work. They will monitor physical activity, fatigue, mood, pain levels and workplace performance.
Focus groups will also be held with women who have struggled to return to work post-treatment to better understand the barriers they face and how the programme can be tailored to their needs. Crucially, the programme is designed to be low-cost and flexible so that it’s easy for women to follow and build into their everyday routine.
Dr Rebecca Vince from the University of Hull said: “We hope our novel home-based exercise programme will help women build long-term healthy habits and improve their quality of life when returning to work. Quality of life is important, embodying good physical and mental health and overall well-being and happiness. We believe our programme can address these factors and fulfil a very unmet need for women after breast cancer.”
Dr Simon Vincent, chief scientific officer at Breast Cancer Now, which will fund the study, said: “Almost 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK and this number is rising. This project has real potential to help improve women’s quality of life after breast cancer treatment and also help many of them when they return to work. Whilst many women are living longer after a breast cancer diagnosis, the period after finishing active treatment can be very challenging. So it’s vitally important these women get the support they need at this time to ensure they have the best possible quality of life.”
Lucie Lewis, an audio producer from Swansea who now lives in Derbyshire, was diagnosed with grade 3 HER2-positive breast cancer last year, a week before her 25th birthday. Lucie suffered severe side effects during breast cancer treatment, including digestive problems, heart palpitations and a pulmonary embolism.
Lucie said: “I was completely wiped out on chemo, which I had every three weeks for eight cycles. I’d be just about starting to feel human again, then it would be time for the next round. I scaled back my work because I wasn’t well enough to work full time, but couldn’t stop completely because I was a freelancer at the time, so I still had to pay the bills." Lucie found exercise invaluable in improving her mental health and in building up her energy levels for work.
Lucie said: “I’ve got a much clearer head from exercising, it’s really helped with the post-chemo brain fog and on the days I go to the gym I have more energy for work. It helps with ongoing digestive side effects such as acid reflux too. It just all-round makes me feel physically better. It's been really empowering being able to build the strength in my legs back up as well as my balance - having consistent exercise really makes me feel like a human again.”
Lucie struggled to find specific advice and support for exercise post-cancer treatment, particularly for people her age.She commented: “This research is so important as I had a lot of difficulty finding any information and support around exercise after cancer in general, a lot of stuff was very focused on much older people. Cancer strips away so much of your identity and sense of self, and exercise can really help build that back up."
Find out more at breastcancernow.org
