Feasibility of personalized step-count-based telerehabilitation during and after chemotherapy in breast cancer care

Le résumé fourni par la source

Breast cancer treatment improves survival but increases cardiovascular risk due to therapy-induced toxicity and sedentary behaviour.1–3 Peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak) declines due to cardiotoxic effects and sedentary deconditioning, leading to reduced physical function and quality of life.3 Post-chemotherapy rehabilitation uptake is low due to logistical barriers (e.g. time, work, and childcare).4,5 New data suggest that early initiation of rehabilitation—during active treatment—could be more effective in preventing long-term declines in cardiovascular health. Additionally, the potential of cardiac telerehabilitation in cardio-oncology, its integration into existing oncology care pathways, and the best approach to organizing a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team remain underexplored.4,5 Conventional cardio-oncological follow-up focuses on resting echocardiography, but emerging evidence suggests that exercise-based assessments may be more sensitive in detecting subclinical cardiac dysfunction at an early stage.3 CPETecho—combining cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) with echocardiography—allows for a non-invasive, integrated assessment of both central and peripheral components of VO₂peak. This study evaluates the feasibility and implementability of a step-count-based telerehabilitation programme using activity trackers in breast cancer patients during and after chemotherapy, with a focus on daily, long-term, low-intensity behavioural change through personalized, adaptive goals. Additionally, it assesses CPETecho as a novel tool for tracking both central and peripheral determinants of VO₂peak before and after chemotherapy, aiming to integrate structured exercise testing into routine cardio-oncology care.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.