Korean J Fam Pract. 2018; 8(3): 380-385  https://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2018.8.3.380
Predictive Factors for Quality of Life and Impact of Physical Activity in Korean Breast Cancer Survivors
Yoon Jee Oh1, Chul-Min Kim1,*, Yong Joo Lee2, Johi Yoon2, Min Sung Kim1, Soo Jin Kim1, Hyun Hwa Shin1
1Department of Family Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea; 2Department of Palliative Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
Chul-Min Kim
Tel: +82-2-2258-2894, Fax: +82-2-2258-2907
E-mail: musofm@unitel.co.kr
ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1052-1734
Received: May 11, 2017; Revised: July 23, 2017; Accepted: August 3, 2017; Published online: June 20, 2018.
© The Korean Academy of Family Medicine. All rights reserved.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background: Improving the long-term quality of life through optimal cancer management is a growing concern among breast cancer survivors. We investigated the factors associated with and the effect of regular physical activity on the quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
Methods: Our study included 155 patients with a history of breast cancer. We obtained data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2012. Quality of life was assessed in patients using the Euro Quality of Life Questionnaire 5-Dimensional Classification (EQ-5D) index, and an EQ-5D index > the mean value was interpreted as a high quality of life. We analyzed the association between various physical activities and the quality of life.
Results: Among all patients included in the study, 104 patients (67.1%) showed a high quality of life (EQ-5D index ≥0.87) whereas 51 patients (32.9%) showed a low quality of life (EQ-5D index <0.87). Young age, current economic activity, no bereaved spouse, a favorable subjective health status, the absence of arthritis, myocardial infarction, or angina, and routine activity such as walking and stretching exercise were significantly associated with a high quality of life. Performing high- or moderate-intensity exercise did not affect the quality of life. Multivariate analysis showed that subjective health status, arthritis, walking, and stretching exercise were independently associated with a high quality of life.
Conclusion: Light intensity exercise including walking and stretching is associated with a high quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
Keywords: Exercise; Quality of Life; Breast Neoplasms
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