Is there a link between exercise and memory in breast cancer survivors?

Questions To Ask Your Health Care Provider

• I am a breast cancer survivor. Which type of health care provider can I see for follow up survivorship care?
• How often and how long should I exercise?
• Are there any exercises I should avoid?
• What are other things I can do to help improve anxiety, depression, and/or fatigue after breast cancer?
• Can you refer me to a personal trainer?

Open Clinical Trials

The following studies focus on exercise for people diagnosed with breast cancer. 

• NCT06500858: MBC Physical Activity Study. This clinical trial evaluates the impact of a tailored physical activity program on physical activity in patients with metastatic breast cancer. 
• NCT05684367: Exercise to ReGain Stamina and Energy (The EXERGISE Study). This study is enrolling female breast cancer survivors aged ≥ 60 years who have completed adjuvant therapy for at least 3 months but no more than 1 year. Participants will be assigned to an 8 week walking exercise program. 
• NCT05327452: Testing Home-based Exercise Strategies in Underserved Minority Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: the THRIVE Study. The purpose of this research is to determine whether a 16-week, home-based, aerobic and resistance exercise intervention increases physical activity levels in Black and Hispanic patients with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer.
• NCT03824145: Every Day Counts: A Lifestyle Program for Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer (EDC).This study examines dietary and activity patterns, body composition, blood and quality of life in breast cancer patients. The study will recruit 176 women with MBC in Milwaukee and Chicago.
• NCT06171945: Mobile weight Loss Intervention for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors. The study will test a mobile smartphone application that tracks weight and physical activity from digital devices with simplified dietary monitoring in a behavioral weight loss program.
• NCT05595577: Improving Exercise Capacity With a Tailored Physical Activity Intervention. This study will test whether participating in either a physical activity intervention or a series of educational classes helps preserve exercise capability, heart function, brain-based activities (like memory), and quality of life.

Visit our Featured Research Page and Research Search and Enroll Tool to find additional studies enrolling people with, or at high risk for cancer.

The following studies look at management of side effects: 

Multiple cancers

• NCT02296450: Quality of Life (QoL) Assessment in Cancer Patients and Survivors With Dermatologic Conditions Using Dermatologic QoL Instruments. This large study examines how skin conditions that are related to different kinds of cancer or cancer treatments affect a patient's overall well-being. 
• NCT05056077: Tools to be Fit. This quality-of-life study examines fwhat tools work best for helping cancer survivors improve their diet and exercise for people with bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, kidney (renal cell carcinoma), ovarian, prostate or rectal cancer.
• NCT03996265: Bupropion in Reducing Cancer Related Fatigue in Cancer Survivors. This study tests how well the drug bupropion (welbutrin) reduces cancer-related fatigue for cancer survivors.

Breast cancer

• NCT04586530: Telehealth and Memory Study (TAMS). This trial seeks to confirm the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral therapy, the Memory and Attention Adaptation Training (TAMS), as a treatment for chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction among breast cancer survivors.
• NCT02290834: Chemotherapy-induced cognitive and brain changes in older adults with breast cancer. The study investigates cognitive abilities and brain images before and after chemotherapy to identify people at risk for cognitive side effects and to better understand the effects of treatment on brain structure and function.
• NCT04906200: Web-Based Symptom Monitoring and Self-Management Portal for Adolescent and Young Adult Breast Cancer Survivors. This compares a web-based patient-reported symptom-monitoring and self-management portal to standard therapy in young breast cancer survivors. 
• NCT04837820: The Effect of Acupuncture on Cancer-Related Cognitive Difficulties. This study tests whether acupuncture improves thinking and insomnia for breast cancer survivors. This study also looks at insomnia's link to cognitive difficulties.
• NCT03879629: TrAstuzumab Cardiomyopathy Therapeutic Intervention With Carvedilol (TACTIC). Breast cancer patients receiving Herceptin or other HER2-directed therapy are at risk of heart damage. This study looks at whether beta-blocker drugs could help prevent this from happening.   

Colorectal cancer

• NCT05239338: Preserving Fertility After Colorectal Cancer Study (PREFACE). This study investigates the reproductive health and clinical outcomes among individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer ages 18 to 49.
• NCT06420726: Resistance Exercise and Creatine in Colorectal Cancer. This study assesses the feasibilty of combining creatine supplementation with resistance training versus resistance training alone in colorectal cancer survivors. 

Ovarian cancer

• NCT04533763: Living WELL: A Web-Based Program for Ovarian Cancer Survivors. This project studies whether a group-based and web-delivered tool increases quality of life and decreases stress, depressive mood, anxiety and fatigue across a 12-month period for ovarian cancer survivors.
• NCT05047926: Prehabilitation for Advanced Ovarian Cancer Patients. This study tests whether structured activity for women undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves their physical state prior to surgery and thus improve outcomes.

Prostate cancer

• NCT03971591: Men Moving Forward: A Lifestyle Program for African-American Prostate Cancer Survivors (MMF). This study looks at Men Moving Forward (MMF), a community-based lifestyle intervention that supports adherence to nutrition and physical activity guidelines to promote improved body composition and lessen the side effects of treatment.
• NCT05155501: Pelvic Fascia spARing Radical Prostatectomy TrIAL (PARTIAL).  This clinical trial studies whether pelvic fascia-sparing radical prostatectomy has similar cancer control and sexual function outcomes; and significantly better urinary function, less penile deformity and inguinal hernia risks as compared to radical prostatectomy.