[Becky]

I will add my 2 cents here. The WHEL study (the study that shows survival benefit via exercise) showed that women who are hormone negative benefit the most from exercise (best benefit was 1 hr of walking 5 times per week). They did not break this out for Her2 but broke out ER/PR neg, ERneg/PR+, ER+/PR neg and ER+/PR+. Benefit of reduction of recurrence is as follows respectively - 44%, 38%, 31% and 20%. The 20% for the ER+/PR+ group was not statistically significant but all others were. The exercising group had a mean weight loss of 6kgs (about 13 lbs). Naturally, this causes one to ponder what really was the reason but regardless, there are other studies that are not bc related that show the same thing. For example, there was just a report that showed that fit obese people have less heart attacks and strokes than thin people who don't exercise and that study used only 30 minutes of walking every day. So exercising is probably it moreso. However, in bc - fat makes estrogen so more fat = more estrogen. Not good if ER+. Even if ER neg, it can up your chance for a new primary as being overweight is a postmenopausal risk factor for getting bc.

Anyway - get those walking shoes on ladies. Drag your significant other out there with you too.

When I am in San Antonio this week, there will be an update on another year of survival statistics on the exercise study and the lowfat diet study. I will definitely go and update the group. Since many early bc survivors here are done with formal treatment and many will be soon, this is the one thing we can control about preventing recurrence.

Thanks for this post as I am most interested in lifestyle studies.