Breast cancer: Exercise reduces perceived memory problems in survivors

Breast cancer: Exercise reduces perceived memory problems in survivors
Breast cancer survivors often report experiencing memory problems. However, engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity appears to indirectly reduce perceived memory problems in breast cancer survivors – likely by increasing self-confidence and reducing fatigue and distress.

The study found breast cancer survivors who engaged in higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity appeared to experience reductions in perceived memory impairment. These were the findings of a new study led by Northwestern University in Chicago, IL, and published in the journal Psycho-Oncology. A surprising suggestion from the results was that memory problems appear to be linked to high stress in breast cancer survivors, rather than specifically as a result of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Lead author Siobhan Phillips, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says: