Authors:
Chantalle Moulton | Unit of Biology and Genetics of Movement, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy | Italy
Dr. Elisa Grazioli | Unit of Physical Exercise and Sport Sciences, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Arianna Murri | Unit of Physical Exercise and Sport Sciences, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Guglielmo Duranti | Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Cristina Fantini | Unit of Biology and Genetics of Movement, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Cristina Antinozzi | Endocrinology Unit, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Claudia Cerulli | Unit of Physical Exercise and Sport Sciences, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Roberta Ceci | Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Paolo Sgrò | Endocrinology Unit, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Luigi Di Luigi | Endocrinology Unit, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Attilio Parisi | Unit of Physical Exercise and Sport Sciences, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Prof. Dr. Daniela Caporossi | Unit of Biology and Genetics of Movement, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Ivan Dimauro | Unit of Biology and Genetics of Movement, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer in women. Oxidative
stress may contribute to cancer aetiology through several mechanisms involving damage to DNA,
proteins and lipids leading to genetic mutations and genomic instability. The literature indicates that
physical activity (PA) has positive effects on every aspect of breast cancer evolution, including
negative effects from treatment. Specifically, how the beneficial association
between PA and BC survival are partially related to its influence on antioxidant status of the body.
Fifteen newly diagnosed BC patients (40-60 years), who underwent the same surgery and before
beginning cancer-related treatments, were recruited and divided randomly into a control group
(CG,n=5) undergoing usual care, and an exercise group (EG,n=10), which additionally participated in
a PA program. With the aim to verify the ability of PA to counteract the negative effects on systemic
redox-homeostasis induced by the BC treatment, we examined the impact of a 4-month exercise
program on the modulation of plasma markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and the stress
response, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, total-glutathione (tGSH),
lipid-oxidation (TBARs), total-antioxidant-capacity (TAC) and total-free-thiols (tFTH), as well as
interleukin-6 (IL6), interleukin-8 (IL8), interleukin-10 (IL10), and tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha (TNFα).
Even in the absence of significant changes in CAT activity, TAC, tFTH and TBARs levels (p > 0.05),
exercise maintained SOD activity and tGSH levels in EG whereas in CG they were significantly
decreased (p < 0.05). Moreover, we found a significant decrease of IL8 in both groups, whereas only in
EG we observed a significant reduction in the pro-inflammatory IL6 and an increase of antiinflammatory IL10 (p < 0.05).
These results highlighted the importance of PA as a potential coadjuvant therapy, alongside usual
care of BC, able to counteract the chemotherapy-induced negative effects on an already compromised
redox homeostasis.