Journal Updates

Prediagnosis exercise protective against CVD after breast cancer

Older women who exercised prior to a diagnosis of breast cancer may have a lower risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with those who did not engage in exercise, a new analysis from the Womens Health Initiative (WHI) suggests.

Investigators asked more than 4000 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer about their exercise habits prior to their diagnosis and followed them for 8 years for incident CVEs and for 12 years for CVD death. Prediagnosis exercise was associated with a 20% to 37% reduction in the risk of first CVEs. The study was published online September 24 in JACC: Cardio Oncology.