BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pilot to determine aerobic exercise effects (AE) on peak aerobic capacity (peak VO2), fatigue, and psychological factors during radiation. SUBJECTS: 20 sedentary females (50.0 +/- 8.0 years) with stage 0 to III breast cancer. METHODS: Following human subject approval and informed consent, participants were randomly assigned to moderate intensity aerobic exercise (AE) or placebo-stretching (PS) condition during 7 weeks of radiation. Pre- to post-tests were peak V02 using oxygen uptake analysis, Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Revised-Piper Fatigue Scale (R-PFS). Wilcoxon-Signed Rank Test assessed pre/post differences; Spearman's Rho assessed correlations (p <= 0.05). RESULTS: AE peak V02 (p = 0.01), POMS anger-hostility (p = 0.02), depression-dejection (p = 0.02), and R-PFS affective meaning (p = 0.02) improved significantly. Peak V02 correlated with POMS fatigue-inertia (p = 0.04), anger-hostility (p = 0.02), depression-dejection (p = 0.01), tension-anxiety (p = 0.04) and R-PFS sensory (p = 0.040). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Moderate intensity aerobic exercise is effective during radiation for breast cancer to increase peak V02 and there-fore aerobic capacity reserves which relates to improved physical function. Changes in peak V02 are also related to improvements in fatigue and psychological factors during this time.

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