Objective: The purpose is to assess the physical activity of breast cancer patients using a questionnaire, the Population Physical Activity Questionnaire (POPAQ) and to compare the data with those from two female populations: one healthy population and one with a previous history of cardiovascular disease.
Patients and methods: This prospective study included 104 consecutive breast cancer patients who were addressed at the radiation oncology department, Institut de cancérologie de la Loire from March to July 2010. A questionnaire using factorial method was used for assessment of physical activity.
Results: In the study population, the rest energetic expenditures of physical energy related to both rest activity and low intensity activity were higher than in the healthy patients (5,292±1,376 versus 5,520±1,248 kJ/24 h, P<0.05 and 2,583±681 versus 2,494±558 kJ/24 h, P<0.05, respectively). Conversely, the energetic expenditures of physical energy related to both high physical activity and intensive physical activity were lower than in the healthy population (882±441 versus 1,560±868 kJ/24 h, P<0.05 et 210±274 versus 340±621 kJ/24 h, P<0.05, respectively).
Conclusion: The POPAQ allows quantifying the daily physical activity and seems feasible in clinical routine in breast cancer patients. In our study, it was found that the physical activity of those patients was significantly different from that of a healthy population. Further investigations are necessary for better defining the true impact of such differences in terms of incidence and prognostic for mammary carcinoma.