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Purpose: To analyze the effect of a protocol based on the Mat Pilates method in an intervention group compared to a usual care control group, on quality of life, fatigue and body image of head and neck cancer survivors., Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial with 30 survivors, allocated into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group underwent a 12-week Mat Pilates, twice a week, one hour long, and the control group attended two lectures and received weekly follow-up throughout the study period. Data collection took place through individual face-to-face interviews, focusing on assessing the outcomes: quality of life (FACT-H&N); fatigue ( FACT-F) and body image (BIS)., Results: The Mat Pilates group showed significant improvements compared to the control group in both intragroup and intergroup analyses across the variables: quality of life (in total score ( p  = 0.007)/( p  = 0.003), family well-being ( p  = 0.001)/( p  = 0.008) and functional well-being ( p  = 0.001)/( p  = 0.001)); body image in the total score ( p  = 0.001)/( p  = 0.001) and in the subscales: body image ( p  = 0.046)/( p  = 0.010), body care ( p  = 0.026)/( p  = 0.010) and body touch ( p  = 0.013)/( p  = 0.022); fatigue ( p  = 0.006)/( p  = 0.003)., Conclusion: Based on these findings, future research could delve deeper into understanding the long-term effects of Mat Pilates interventions on quality of life, body image, and fatigue levels among survivors of head and neck cancer., Clinical Trial Registration Number: RBR-3BS8XC6.

Objective: To analyze the effect of the Pilates method on the quality of life, fatigue, and sleep quality of patients undergoing adjuvant clinical treatment with hormone therapy for breast cancer., Methods: A randomized two-arm clinical trial with 34 breast cancer women that were randomized into two groups: a) Intervention group, who performed 16 weeks of mat Pilates; b) Control group, who maintained their daily routine activities and received three educational sessions. The questionnaires for each variable were applied before the intervention, after the intervention, and six months after the end of the intervention. Quality of life was assessed by The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), fatigue by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue (FACT-F), and sleep quality by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index., Results: The fatigue variable presented a time effect (p = 0.034) regardless of the analyzed group, in which a difference was found between baseline and the post-intervention period (p = 0.037). The variable sleep showed an effect of time (p = 0.025), presenting a difference between the baseline period and six months, with improvement for all participants (p = 0.004). Global health also showed a positive change also for all participants, with an isolated effect of time (p = 0.024)., Conclusion: Interventions based on the Pilates method may bring positive results in quality of life, fatigue, and sleep quality in patients undergoing adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, but further studies on the subject are needed to prove the results in a larger number of patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The protective effect of physical activity on breast cancer incidence may partially be mediated by inflammation. Systematic searches of Medline, EMBASE, and SPORTDiscus were performed to identify intervention studies, Mendelian randomization studies, and prospective cohort studies that examined the effects of physical activity on circulating inflammatory biomarkers in adult women. Meta-analyses were performed to generate effect estimates. Risk of bias was assessed, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system was used to determine the overall quality of the evidence. Thirty-five intervention studies and one observational study met the criteria for inclusion. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCT) indicated that, compared with control groups, exercise interventions reduced levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.62 to 0.08), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα, SMD = -0.63, 95% CI = -1.04 to -0.22), interleukin-6 (IL6, SMD = -0.55, 95% CI = -0.97 to -0.13) and leptin (SMD = -0.50, 95% CI = -1.10 to 0.09). Owing to heterogeneity in effect estimates and imprecision, evidence strength was graded as low (CRP, leptin) or moderate (TNFα and IL6). High-quality evidence indicated that exercise did not change adiponectin levels (SMD = 0.01, 95% CI = -0.14 to 0.17). These findings provide support for the biological plausibility of the first part of the physical activity-inflammation-breast cancer pathway., (©2023 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a 16-week exercise intervention (mat Pilates or belly dance) on body image, self-esteem and sexual function in breast cancer survivors receiving hormone therapy. Seventy-four breast cancer survivors were randomly allocated into mat Pilates, belly dance, or control group. The physical activity groups received a 16-week intervention, delivered 3 days a week, and 60 min a session. The control group received three education sessions. Data collection occurred at baseline, post-intervention, 6 and 12 months of follow-up with a questionnaire including body image (Body Image After Breast Cancer Questionnaire), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), and sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index) measures. The belly dance group significantly improved body image on limitations scale in the short term and long term, the mat Pilates significantly improved body image on limitations only in the long term, and the control group significantly decreased body image on limitations in the long term. The belly dance group experienced reduced discomfort and pain during sexual relations in the short and long term. All groups showed a significant improvement in self-esteem, but orgasm sub-scale scores declined over time. No adverse events were found for any of the exercise intervention groups. Belly dance seem to be more effective than mat Pilates and control group in improving limitations of body image and sexual discomfort in the short term for breast cancer survivors. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03194997) - "Pilates and Dance to Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment"., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Breast cancer treatment leads to several side effects. Exercise can help to reduce these side effects. However, it is unknown whether a mat Pilates or a belly dance intervention can improve the patient-reported outcomes of these women., Objective: Examine the effects of a 16-week exercise intervention (mat Pilates or belly dance) on patient reported outcomes (PROs) among breast cancer survivors, at 16 weeks, six months, and 12 months; and investigate sociodemographic and clinical predictors of intervention adherence., Methods: Seventy-four breast cancer survivors who were receiving hormone therapy were randomly allocated into mat Pilates (n = 25), belly dance (n = 25) or control group (educational sessions) (n = 24). Mat Pilates and belly dance groups received a 16-week intervention, delivered three days a week and 60 min a session. The control group received three education sessions and continue usual care. The patient reported outcomes assessed were depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), optimism (Life Orientation Test), fatigue (FACT-F), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and pain (VAS), clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, and habitual physical activity (IPAQ short)., Results: All three groups showed a significant improvement in fatigue, and this effect was maintained during follow-up. No significant effects were found for depressive symptoms, optimism, stress, or pain. A history of exercise prior to breast cancer and be inactive after diagnosis were significant predictors of adherence to interventions., Conclusion: Mat Pilates, belly dance and a few educational sessions can be effective in improving fatigue after 16 weeks of intervention., Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03194997)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Evidence-based practices involving dance modalities found in binary (two-beat rhythm) or quaternary (four-beat rhythm) show that dance positively influences the motor aspects of disease.
Aim: This randomized clinical trial aimed to analyze the effect of two dance rhythm (binary and quaternary) on the balance, gait, and mobility in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD).
Methods: Thirty-one individuals with PD were randomized into the binary group (n = 18) and the quaternary group (n = 13). Both groups participated in different dance rhythms lasting 12 weeks, twice a week, for 45 minutes.
Results: The binary group showed a significant difference in balance (p = 0.003), freezing of gait (p = 0.007), as well as in the motor aspects of MDS-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), with emphasis on the total values with a score change of 3.23. In the quaternary group, significant differences were found in balance (p = 0.021) with a score change of -2.54 and in the motor aspects of the MDS-UPDRS Part III where the total values stood out with a change of 3.54.
Discussion: When comparing the possible effects of binary and quaternary rhythms on the motor symptoms of individuals with PD, it was demonstrated that binary rhythm improved balance, freezing gait, and UPDRSIII. As for the quaternary rhythm, the benefits were in balance and the UPDRSIII.
Conclusion: The binary and the quaternary rhythm dance protocols positively influenced the motor symptoms of individuals with PD after 12 weeks of intervention.

We undertook a systematic review and appraised the evidence for an effect of circulating sex steroid hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) on breast cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women. Systematic searches identified prospective studies relevant to this review. Meta-analyses estimated breast cancer risk for women with the highest compared with the lowest level of sex hormones, and the DRMETA Stata package was used to graphically represent the shape of these associations. The ROBINS-E tool assessed risk of bias, and the GRADE system appraised the strength of evidence. In premenopausal women, there was little evidence that estrogens, progesterone, or SHBG were associated with breast cancer risk, whereas androgens showed a positive association. In postmenopausal women, higher estrogens and androgens were associated with an increase in breast cancer risk, whereas higher SHBG was inversely associated with risk. The strength of the evidence quality ranged from low to high for each hormone. Dose-response relationships between sex steroid hormone concentrations and breast cancer risk were most notable for postmenopausal women. These data support the plausibility of a role for sex steroid hormones in mediating the causal relationship between physical activity and the risk of breast cancer. See related reviews by Lynch et al., p. 11 and Swain et al., p. 16 ., (©2021 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

The effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk may be partly mediated by sex steroid hormones. This review synthesized and appraised the evidence for an effect of physical activity on sex steroid hormones. Systematic searches were performed using MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), and SPORTDiscus to identify experimental studies and prospective cohort studies that examined physical activity and estrogens, progestins, and/or androgens, as well as sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and glucocorticoids in pre- and postmenopausal women. Meta-analyses were performed to generate effect estimates. Risk of bias was assessed, and the GRADE system was used to appraise quality of the evidence. Twenty-eight randomized controlled trials (RCT), 81 nonrandomized interventions, and six observational studies were included. Estrogens, progesterone, and androgens mostly decreased, and SHBG increased, in response to physical activity. Effect sizes were small, and evidence quality was graded moderate or high for each outcome. Reductions in select sex steroid hormones following exercise supports the biological plausibility of the first part of the physical activity-sex hormone-breast cancer pathway. The confirmed effect of physical activity on decreasing circulating sex steroid hormones supports its causal role in preventing breast cancer. See related reviews by Lynch et al., p. 11 and Drummond et al., p. 28 ., (©2021 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)