The Alberta moving beyond breast cancer (AMBER) cohort study: A prospective study of physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivors

Kerry S. Courneya, Jeff K. Vallance, S. N. Culos-Reed, Margaret L. McNeely, Gordon J. Bell, John R. Mackey, Yutaka Yasui, Yan Yuan, Charles E. Matthews, David C.W. Lau, Diane Cook, Christine M. Friedenreich

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Articlepeer-review

    32 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Background: Limited research has examined the association between physical activity, health-related fitness, and disease outcomes in breast cancer survivors. Here, we present the rationale and design of the Alberta Moving Beyond Breast Cancer (AMBER) Study, a prospective cohort study designed specifically to examine the role of physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivorship from the time of diagnosis and for the balance of life. The AMBER Study will examine the role of physical activity and health-related fitness in facilitating treatment completion, alleviating treatment side effects, hastening recovery after treatments, improving long term quality of life, and reducing the risks of disease recurrence, other chronic diseases, and premature death.Methods/Design: The AMBER Study will enroll 1500 newly diagnosed, incident, stage I-IIIc breast cancer survivors in Alberta, Canada over a 5 year period. Assessments will be made at baseline (within 90 days of surgery), 1 year, and 3 years consisting of objective and self-reported measurements of physical activity, health-related fitness, blood collection, lymphedema, patient-reported outcomes, and determinants of physical activity. A final assessment at 5 years will measure patient-reported data only. The cohort members will be followed for an additional 5 years for disease outcomes.Discussion: The AMBER cohort will answer key questions related to physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivors including: (1) the independent and interactive associations of physical activity and health-related fitness with disease outcomes (e.g., recurrence, breast cancer-specific mortality, overall survival), treatment completion rates, symptoms and side effects (e.g., pain, lymphedema, fatigue, neuropathy), quality of life, and psychosocial functioning (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-esteem, happiness), (2) the determinants of physical activity and health-related fitness including demographic, medical, social cognitive, and environmental variables, (3) the mediators of any observed associations between physical activity, health-related fitness, and health outcomes including biological, functional, and psychosocial, and (4) the moderators of any observed associations including demographic, medical, and biological/disease factors. Taken together, these data will provide a comprehensive inquiry into the outcomes, determinants, mechanisms, and moderators of physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivors.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number525
    JournalBMC Cancer
    Volume12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 16 Nov. 2012

    Keywords

    • Breast cancer
    • Cardiorespiratory fitness
    • Exercise
    • Exercise determinants
    • Lymphedema
    • Muscular strength
    • Physical activity
    • Quality of life
    • Recurrence
    • Survival

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The Alberta moving beyond breast cancer (AMBER) cohort study: A prospective study of physical activity and health-related fitness in breast cancer survivors'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this