EFFECT OF LOW INTENSITY AEROBIC EXERCISE ON VO2PEAK OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY

Authors

Etta Novayanti, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia AND Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
Indrayuni Lukitra Wardhani, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia AND Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
Inggar Narasinta, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia AND Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
Desak Gede Agung Suprabawati, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia AND Department of General Surgery, Universitas Airlangga, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia
Niken Pratiwi, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
Ratna Daryanti Soebadi, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia AND Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia

ORCID ID

Etta Novayanti: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1734-8499

Indrayuni Lukitra Wardhani: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9889-9039

Inggar Narasinta: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6855-413X

Desak Gede Agung Suprabawati: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4086-2345

Niken Pratiwi: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9675-5207

Ratna Daryanti Soebadi: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4234-9142

Abstract

Breast cancer treatments, particularly chemotherapy, have been associated with significant declines in cardiopulmonary fitness, a key determinant of functional independence and survival. VO₂peak, a marker of cardiopulmonary function, is often reduced in patients undergoing chemotherapy, increasing morbidity risks. Researchers have proposed exercise interventions to mitigate these effects. However, most studies focused on moderate-to-high-intensity regimens, with limited data on the efficacy of low-intensity aerobic exercise. This study aimed to explore the impact of low-intensity cycle ergometer aerobic exercise on VO₂peak in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. A randomized controlled trial with twenty participants randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 10, low-intensity aerobic exercise twice per week for 8 weeks) or a control group (n = 10, usual care). VO₂peak was estimated using the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand (30STS) test. Statistical analysis was performed using paired and independent t-tests, with effect size (Cohen’s d) calculated to assess clinical significance. The intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in VO₂peak (Δ= +1.93 mL/kg/min, p < 0.001), while the control group showed a non-significant change (Δ= +0.25 mL/kg/min, p = 0.31). Between-group analysis suggested a significant difference in favour of the intervention (p = 0.02, Cohen’s d = –2.56), indicating a large effect size.

Keywords

Breast cancer; cardiopulmonary fitness; chemotherapy; low-intensity exercise; increasing life expectancy

First Page

139

Last Page

147

Publication Date

12-6-2025

Recommended Citation

Novayanti, Etta; Wardhani, Indrayuni Lukitra; Narasinta, Inggar; Suprabawati, Desak Gede Agung; Pratiwi, Niken; and Soebadi, Ratna Daryanti (2025) "EFFECT OF LOW INTENSITY AEROBIC EXERCISE ON VO2PEAK OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY," Folia Medica Indonesiana: Vol. 61: No. 1, Article 14.
Available at: https://scholarly.unair.ac.id/fk-fmi/vol61/iss1/14