Congruence and trajectories of device-measured and self-reported physical activity during therapy for early breast cancer

Abstract

Purpose This study examines congruence between self-reported and device-measured physical activity data in women with early breast cancer and compares trajectories under different treatments. Methods Women with non-metastatic breast cancer were recruited before primary therapy. In four weeks distributed over six months after treatment start, patients reported time spent on work, transport, chores and sports via diary and wore Garmin® vivofit 3 accelerometers to assess steps taken. Associations between these measures and agreement regarding guideline adherence were tested with Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient and Weighted Kappa statistic. Effects of time and treatment were evaluated using mixed analyses of variance. Results Ninety-nine participants (median age = 50) were treated with adjuvant (N= 23), neoadjuvant (N= 21) or without chemotherapy (N= 55). Coherence between self-report and device data was strong (r = 0.566). Agreement about reaching recommendations was only “fair” (kappa coefficient = 0.321 and 0.249, resp.). Neither treatment or week nor their interaction had effects on step counts (all p > 0.05). Self-reported activity time was lower for patients with chemotherapy than for those without (adjuvant: ∆ = 69min, p= 0.006, neoadjuvant: ∆ = 45min, p= 0.038) and lower in week 18 than in week 3 (∆ = 43min, p= 0.010). Conclusion Results show that consumer-grade activity monitors and self-reports correlate but show different perspectives on physical activity in breast cancer patients. In general, patients perceive some decline regardless of primary treatment regimen. Those affected should be offered assistance to gain the benefits of activity. Accelerometers may help professionals to identify these individuals and patients to verify appraisal of their activity levels.

A Scoping Review to Assess Adherence to and Clinical Outcomes of Wearable Devices in the Cancer Population

“…The average adherence percentage was calculated for each segment. The intervention-based segments included studies with weeks 1 [ 48 , 49 ], 2 [ 27 , 55 ], 3 [ 50 , 52 , 57 ], 4 [ 36 , 37 , 53 ], 7 [ 28 ], 8 [ 32 , 33 , 34 ], 10 [ 24 , 30 , 41 ], 12 [ 20 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 54 , 56 ], 17 [ 29 ], 24 [ 22 , 31 ] and 43 [ 35 ]. In the graph, (1.84) indicates the studies grouped in this segment that had a one-week intervention with an average adherence of 84%.…”

Physical Function and Physical Activity in Older Breast Cancer Survivors: 5-Year Follow-Up from the Climb Every Mountain Study

“…However, a previous study showed that patient-reported physical activity is concordant with more objective accelerometers. 36 Finally, this study did not include a control group to compare the observed physical decline with patients without breast cancer. However, our research group is currently comparing the GARS questionnaire of older patients diagnosed with breast cancer with a similar cohort of older adults without breast cancer.…”

Improved awareness of physical activities is associated with a gain of fitness and a stable body weight in breast cancer patients during the first year of antineoplastic therapy: the BEGYN-1 study

“…It is important to provide patients with sustainable motivational concepts after an intervention ( 27 ). Activity diaries alone might offer some motivation, but there are considerable discrepancies between this form of self-assessment and other methods to quantify physical activity ( 28 ).…”