Comment on “The efficiency of a mixed exercise program on quality of life and fatigue levels in patients with breast cancer”

Dear Editor,

We are glad to read the interesting study by Köse¹ and his team. The study found that a mixed (i.e., fitness center and home) 12-week exercise program provides an improvement in general health and reduces the side effects of the treatments and fatigue in patients with breast cancer. This is a significant study that can help breast cancer patients. However, from our point of view, there are some issues worthy of discussion.

To begin with, in the “Method” section of the article, the concepts of “educated,” “not exercise regularly,” and “exercise regularly” are ambiguous. We need a clear definition of education level and exercise frequency. Also, it is mentioned that 62 women were included with convenience sampling in the “Method” section of the study. Convenience sampling is a non-probabilistic sampling and the sample size is slightly small; therefore, the sampling has a deviation and is not representative.

In addition, we find that the premise of the study group is that they have already completed the treatment for breast cancer. However, there are several treatments of breast cancer, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The different treatments of breast cancer also vary; from our point of view, whether they have a certain influence on the results should be considered.

• Funding: none.

REFERENCE

• ¹
  Köse E, Aydin M, Köse O, Aksu MG, Sekban G. The efficiency of a mixed exercise program on quality of life and fatigue levels in patients with breast cancer. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021;67(9):1279-85. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20210539
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20210539

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  25 May 2022
• Date of issue
  Apr 2022

History

• Received
  08 Dec 2021
• Accepted
  04 Jan 2022