Exercise effects on lean body mass, muscle strength and functional performance in patients with metastatic breast cancer: the randomized controlled PREFERABLE-EFFECT study
Low skeletal muscle mass and strength are common in patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) and have been associated with treatment toxicities and poor prognosis. The PREFERABLE-EFFECT study (NCT04120298) investigated exercise effects on body composition, muscle strength, and functional performance (secondary outcomes) in patients with mBC. Patients with mBC (n = 357) were randomized to a 9-month supervised aerobic, resistance and balance exercise program (EX) or control. Body composition (subset n = 66), lower body strength (subset n = 126), handgrip strength and functional performance were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Changes between groups were compared using linear mixed models for repeated measures. EX significantly increased whole body lean mass at 3 months (between-group difference = 0.79 kg, 95%CI [0.14; 1.44], effect size = 0.14), appendicular skeletal muscle mass at 3 months (0.60 kg, [0.22; 0.97], ES = 0.19) and 6 months (0.48kg, [0.09; 0.87], ES = 0.15), and lower body strength at 3 months (18.32 kg, [7.58; 29.06], ES = 0.44) and 6 months (34.22 kg, [23.0; 45.45], ES = 0.83) compared to control. EX also improved functional performance, including balance, compared to control. The results support the promotion of supervised exercise for patients with mBC, with beneficial effects on skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance. The PREFERABLE-EFFECT study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on October 9, 2019 (NCT04120298).
Authors
- Mark Trevaskis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9078-0180)
- Evelyn M. Monninkhof (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6641-7605)
- Maciej Górecki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4133-1645)
- Martijn M. Stuiver (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7794-7767)
- Jon Belloso
- Eva M. Zopf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6250-0041)
- Kate A. Bolam (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5140-9098)
- Christine Muttiah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7166-1728)
- Rodrigo Fernández Gonzalo
- Yvonne Wengström (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8317-7829)
- Ander Urruticoechea (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0359-3641)
- Helene Rundqvist (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5617-9076)
- Renske Altena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6944-5209)
- Elsken van der Wall (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2568-6937)
- Dorothea Clauss (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0752-5301)
- Elzbieta Senkus
- Martina E. Schmidt
- Neil K. Aaronson
- Anouk E. Hiensch
- Jana Müller
- Anne M. May
- Karen Steindorf
- Philipp Zimmer
- Elisa Heyrman
- Joachim Wiskemann
- Gustav Joernaker
- Wilhelm Bloch
Institutions
- Karolinska University Hospital (SE)
- German Sport University Cologne (DE)
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (AU)
- University of the Sunshine Coast (AU)
- German Cancer Research Center (DE)
- Utrecht University (NL)
- TU Dortmund University (DE)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- University Hospital Heidelberg (DE)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NL)
- University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
- Cabrini Hospital (AU)
- Oncode Institute (NL)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (DE)
- Greater Poland Cancer Center (PL)
- Osakidetza (ES)
- University Clinical Centre (PL)
- Onkologikoa (ES)
- Melbourne Health (AU)
- Gdańsk Medical University (PL)
- Australian Catholic University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Breast Cancer Research
- Published
- 2026-04-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-026-02235-6
- Primary Topic
- Cancer survivorship and care
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00