Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women:the SHAPE Study

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00359060
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: August 1, 2006
• Last Update Posted: October 13, 2006
• Sponsor: UMC Utrecht
• Collaborators: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM); Dutch Cancer Society
• Information provided by: UMC Utrecht

Study Description

Brief Summary:

Purpose of the SHAPE study is to examine the effects of an 1-year exercise programme on endogenous hormone levels associated with breast cancer among sedentary postmenopausal women and whether a decrease in intra-abdominal fat is associated with a lowering of these hormone levels.

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment	Phase
Breast Cancer	Behavioral: Physical activity	Phase 3

Detailed Description:

Physical activity has been associated with a decreased risk for breast cancer. The biological mechanism(s) underlying the association between physical activity and breast cancer is not clear. Most prominent hypothesis is that physical activity may protect against breast cancer through reduced lifetime exposure to endogenous hormones. Another hypothesis is that physical activity prevents overweight and abdominal adiposity.

In this intervention study, 189 sedentary postmenopausal women who are aged 50-69 years are randomly allocated to an intervention or a control group. The intervention consists of an 1-year moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic and strength training exercise programme. Participants allocated to the control group are requested to retain their habitual exercise pattern. Primary study parameters measured at baseline, at four months and at 12 months are: serum concentrations of endogenous estrogens, endogenous androgens, sex hormone binding globulin and insulin. Other study parameters include: amount of total and abdominal fat, weight, BMI, body fat distribution, physical fitness, blood pressure and lifestyle factors.

This study will contribute to the body of evidence relating physical activity and breast cancer risk and will provide insight into possible mechanisms through which physical activity might be associated with reduced risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial)
• Enrollment: 180 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single
• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Official Title: Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women: the SHAPE Study
• Study Start Date: January 2005
• Study Completion Date: September 2006

Arms and Interventions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Serum concentrations of endogenous estrogens: estradiol (total, free), estrone, estrone sulfate
2. Serum concentrations of endogenous androgens: testosterone, androstenedione
3. Serum concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin
4. Serum concentrations of fasting insulin
5. Insulin sensitivity

Secondary Outcome Measures :

1. Amount of total body fat and intra-abdominal fat
2. Weight
3. Body Mass Index (BMI)
4. Body fat distribution
5. Waist to hip ratio
6. Physical Fitness
7. Blood pressure
8. Lifestyle parameters (covariates)
9. Exercise behaviour (habitual physical activity, past week activity, physical activity in the past)
10. Diet (daily caloric intake; percent daily calories from fat, carbohydrates and proteins)
11. Alcohol consumption
12. Medication use
13. Reproductive factors
14. Medical history

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 Years to 69 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: Female
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women aged 50 -69 year
• > 12 months since last menses
• Non-smokers (at least 12 months)
• Sedentary
• Knowledge of the Dutch language
• Agreement to be randomly assigned to either the exercise intervention or control group
• Informed consent to participate in all screening and study activities

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of hormone replacement or oral contraceptives in past 6 months
• Morbidly obese (BMI > 40)
• BMI < 22
• Currently on or planning to go on a strict diet
• Ever diagnosed with breast cancer
• Diagnosis of other types of cancer in the past 5 years
• Diabetes mellitus or other endocrine related diseases
• Disorders or diseases (locomotor, optical, neurological, mental) that might impede the participation in the exercise programme
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Maintenance use of corticosteroids
• Use of beta blockers

Contacts and Locations

Locations

Netherlands

University Medical Center Utrecht, Julius Center

Utrecht, Netherlands, 3508 GA

Sponsors and Collaborators

UMC Utrecht

National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)

Dutch Cancer Society

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Jantine Schuit, PhD; Dutch Institute of Public Health and the Environment
• Principal Investigator: Petra HM Peeters, PhD; University Medical Center Utrecht, Julius Center

More Information

Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):

Monninkhof EM, Peeters PH, Schuit AJ. Design of the sex hormones and physical exercise (SHAPE) study. BMC Public Health. 2007 Sep 4;7:232.

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00359060
• Other Study ID Numbers: UU 2003-2793
• First Posted: August 1, 2006
• Last Update Posted: October 13, 2006
• Last Verified: July 2006

Keywords provided by UMC Utrecht:

Physical activity; Sex steroid hormones; Breast cancer risk; Intervention study; Postmenopausal women

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Breast Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Breast Diseases; Skin Diseases