Trial Information

Evaluation of Nutrition and Metabolism in Breast Cancer Patients

Despite the increased success of novel anti-neoplastic therapies, breast cancer patients
receiving chemotherapy develop unfavourable changes in body composition, including lean
tissue loss and fat gains (1,2). These detrimental changes associate with poor quality of
life (3,4) and may lead to treatment complications (5,6) during the cancer trajectory. In
non-malignant populations, fat gain and muscle loss associate with increased risk of
cardiovascular disease and diabetes (7). Cancer survivors who gain fat and lose lean mass
are not only predisposed to these diseases but also have an increased risk of cancer
recurrence (3). Proper nutrition as well as exercise can independently improve metabolic
profiles (i.e. immune function, lipid and glucose metabolism) and overall health outcomes in
non-malignant populations (7-9). While exercise has enhanced quality of life in breast
cancer patients (4), overall nutritional needs and the metabolic benefits of exercise are
unclear in this patient group. Understanding the effects of nutrition and exercise
interventions in breast cancer patients will form the basis for future studies and programs
that integrate nutrition, exercise, and metabolism to reduce cancer recurrence and other
morbidities in survivorship. This study will examine the effects of nutrition and exercise
intervention on body composition and metabolism in recently diagnosed breast cancer
patients.