There's a high rate of breast cancer in Canada, but the survival rate is high with over 200,000 breast cancer survivors in Canada. Treatment for breast cancer often includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and long-term hormone therapy. These treatments can affect the long-term health and quality of life for survivors. Research is being done to look at the negative effects of breast cancer and breast cancer treatment. By understanding these factors, the hope is to decrease treatment effects, improve recovery time, and reduce negative long-term effects of breast cancer.
What is the AMBER Study?
The AMBER Study is for people with breast cancer. The study is looking at how physical activity and health-related fitness affect many factors (e.g., behaviour, biology, medical, function, psychosocial) from diagnosis through life after treatment. The goal is to understand these factors and improve breast cancer recovery and survival.
The goal of the AMBER Study is to recruit 1,500 Albertans who have been newly-diagnosed with breast cancer.
What does the study involve?
If you volunteer for the study, you'll be involved for a total of 5 years. You don’t need to follow an exercise program on the study.
To start the study you'll have an assessment done, which includes:
- questionnaires about personal information, medical history, lifestyle, physical activity, and diet
- a fasting blood test
- physical fitness tests
- testing for swelling in the arms or hands (lymphedema)
- a test called a dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to measure your body composition
- keeping track of your activity through accelerometer readings (two devices that measure movement) for 1 week
You'll have assessments repeated at 1 year and 3 years. At the 5 year mark, you'll only do questionnaires. After 5 years, your progress is followed through your medical record.
