INTRODUCTION: Women with breast cancer undergo a variety of therapies that can have long-term negative impacts on quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combined aerobic and resistance exercise program on the quality of life of breast cancer survivors. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with breast cancer were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in a 12-week program of aerobic and resistance exercises. Each session consisted of a 10-minute warm-up, 20 to 40 minutes of core exercises, and a 10-minute cool-down. The intensity of the exercises gradually increased during the program. Quality of life was assessed before and after the intervention using the EORTC Core Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the QLQ-BR23 questionnaire. Data were analyzed with independent t-tests, chi-square test, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Spearman's correlation test. RESULTS: Global health status /quality of life demonstrated a significant increase after 12 weeks of aerobic and resistance exercises in the intervention group (p = 0.019). This exercise program has a significant effect on emotional functioning (p = 0.001), financial difficulties (p = 0.0001), sexual functioning (p = 0.0001), and sexual enjoyment (p = 0.0001) of patients in the intervention group. In the symptom subscales, the mean scores of the intervention group were lower compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of planned aerobic and resistance exercise intervention under supervision effectively improves quality of life, increases functional ability, and decreases negative symptoms related to breast cancer treatments. This study pointed out that this type of exercise program can be of great help in the enhancement of the overall health and well-being of women with breast cancer after the treatment period.

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