Volume 82, Issue 12 (March 2025)
Tehran Univ Med J 2025, 82(12): 939-950 |
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Hooshmand-Moghadam B, Gaeini A A. Exercise training and cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: physiological perspectives, clinical evidence, and practical challenges. Tehran Univ Med J 2025; 82 (12) :939-950
URL: http://tumj.tums.ac.ir/article-1-13453-en.html
URL: http://tumj.tums.ac.ir/article-1-13453-en.html
1- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
2- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract: (1245 Views)
Background: As survival rates among breast cancer patients improve, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as a leading cause of long-term morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal survivors. This epidemiological transition from oncologic risk to cardiometabolic vulnerability reveals a critical yet underexplored dimension of survivorship care. Structured exercise training represents a promising intervention, and this narrative review-grounded in a systematic literature search investigates the effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined training modalities on cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. The review synthesizes evidence across physiological mechanisms, clinical outcomes, and implementation challenges to provide a comprehensive perspective on exercise oncology in this underserved population.
Methods: A systematic search of reputable international databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar as well as Persian databases SID and Magiran was conducted to identify relevant human studies, clinical trials, and randomized controlled trials published between January 2000 and April 2025. Screening, selection, and synthesis of the studies were performed in Iran between October 2024 and January 2025.
Results: Accumulating evidence supports that structured exercise especially combined aerobic and resistance training exerts substantial cardioprotective effects through multiple mechanisms, including reductions in systemic inflammation, improvements in body composition, regulation of blood pressure, enhancement of cardiorespiratory fitness, and improved left ventricular function. Combined interventions consistently outperformed single-modality programs, underscoring the importance of integrative approaches in oncologic rehabilitation. Despite this promise, persistent barriers such as limited access to trained personnel, lack of individualized protocols, and weak institutional support impede translation into routine practice. Notably, few existing reviews have bridged mechanistic, clinical, and operational domains in this population, highlighting a significant gap in the literature.
Conclusion: Exercise training is not merely an adjunct to care it is a clinically potent, physiologically grounded, and policy-relevant strategy for mitigating cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Given the increasing burden of CVD in this group, integrating personalized, evidence-based exercise into oncologic care pathways is both urgent and essential for advancing survivorship standards and informing future clinical guidelines.
Methods: A systematic search of reputable international databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar as well as Persian databases SID and Magiran was conducted to identify relevant human studies, clinical trials, and randomized controlled trials published between January 2000 and April 2025. Screening, selection, and synthesis of the studies were performed in Iran between October 2024 and January 2025.
Results: Accumulating evidence supports that structured exercise especially combined aerobic and resistance training exerts substantial cardioprotective effects through multiple mechanisms, including reductions in systemic inflammation, improvements in body composition, regulation of blood pressure, enhancement of cardiorespiratory fitness, and improved left ventricular function. Combined interventions consistently outperformed single-modality programs, underscoring the importance of integrative approaches in oncologic rehabilitation. Despite this promise, persistent barriers such as limited access to trained personnel, lack of individualized protocols, and weak institutional support impede translation into routine practice. Notably, few existing reviews have bridged mechanistic, clinical, and operational domains in this population, highlighting a significant gap in the literature.
Conclusion: Exercise training is not merely an adjunct to care it is a clinically potent, physiologically grounded, and policy-relevant strategy for mitigating cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Given the increasing burden of CVD in this group, integrating personalized, evidence-based exercise into oncologic care pathways is both urgent and essential for advancing survivorship standards and informing future clinical guidelines.
Type of Study: Original Article |
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