Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41572331›Full record

Trial reportThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2026

Effectiveness of supervised vs brief counselling physical activity promotion interventions in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors: the PAC-WOMAN randomized controlled trial.

Eliana V Carraça, Bruno Rodrigues, Sofia Franco, Inês Nobre, Flávio Jerónimo, Vítor Ilharco, Pedro F Silva, António L Palmeira, Marlene N Silva

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialPragmatic Clinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05860621 (Promoting Physical Activity Through Supervised vs Motivational Behavior Change Interventions in Breast Cancer Survivors on Aromatase Inhibitors), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05860621 naunknown statusnot on this map

Promoting Physical Activity Through Supervised vs Motivational Behavior Change Interventions in Breast Cancer Survivors on Aromatase Inhibitors (PAC-WOMAN): A 3-arm Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorGrupo LusófonaRan2022 to 2025Enrolled122ConditionsBreast Cancer Female, Hormone-receptor-positive Breast CancerArmsBrief Physical Activity Counselling, Structured Exercise Program
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Eliana V CarraçaCIDEFES, FEFD, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal. p4890@ulusofona.pt.
Bruno RodriguesCIDEFES, FEFD, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal.
Sofia FrancoCIDEFES, FEFD, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal.
Inês NobreFaculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.
Flávio JerónimoFaculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.
Vítor IlharcoCIDEFES, FEFD, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal.
Pedro F SilvaIADE, Universidade Europeia, Porto, Portugal.
António L PalmeiraCIDEFES, FEFD, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal.
Marlene N SilvaCIDEFES, FEFD, Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal.

Funding

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia PTDC/SAU-DES/2865/2020
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAromatase inhibitors (AI) are used to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, but have several side effects that often lead to premature discontinuation/switch. Physical activity (PA) can attenuate side effects and improve quality of life. However, most cancer survivors fail to meet PA guidelines. Theory-based PA interventions are effective in breast cancer survivors, but scarce. PAC-WOMAN tested the effects of two PA promotion interventions (supervised exercise vs brief counseling) on primary outcomes – PA, sedentary behavior, quality of life –, and secondary outcomes – body composition, fitness, physical function, sleep, body image, depression, psychological well-being, pain, and motivational variables – in women on AI.

methodsThis pragmatic randomized controlled trial included 110 women with stage I-III hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer on AI (56.1 ± 7.6 yr; 28.1 ± 5.9 kg/m2; 23.4 ± 20.1 months on AI), randomized to: 1) brief PA counseling (PAC); 2) structured exercise (ExG); 3) waiting-list control. Primary and secondary outcomes were evaluated with validated instruments at the end of the intervention period. Repeated measures’ Anovas, adjusted for age, AI duration, body mass index and chronic diseases, were conducted. Bonferroni corrections were applied (significance level at p < 0.0083).

resultsSignificant group-by-time interactions were observed for moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA), exercise motivations and affect, muscle strength and leg endurance (p ≤ 0.008). Objectively measured PA showed no significant effects in either intervention group, except for a near-significant MVPA increase of 107 min/week [95% CI: 4; 209] over time in ExG. Larger improvements were observed in all self-reported PA indicators in ExG, while PAC revealed gains only in light PA and active choices. ExG improved global health status, physical functioning and physiological indicators (e.g., fitness, body composition) over time; PAC enhanced future perspectives, body image functioning, breast symptoms, and other psychological outcomes, with changes in depressive symptoms (-1.4 [-2.4; -0.3]) and life satisfaction (0.8 [0.2; 1.5]) approaching significance.

conclusionsPAC-WOMAN showed that ExG and PAC yielded distinct benefits for breast cancer survivors on AI. ExG improved total PA, fitness, physical function, physical quality of life, and alleviated pain symptoms. PAC primarily enhanced light PA and psychological outcomes such as body image and life satisfaction. Together, these findings highlight the potential scalability of PAC alongside the robust physical benefits of ExG.

trial registrationApril 2023 – NCT05860621; https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZAQ9N ; UMIN000050945.

Indexed as

Aromatase InhibitorsBreast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsCounselingExerciseHealth PromotionAgedBody CompositionBody ImageDepressionFemaleHumansMiddle AgedMotivationQuality of LifeSedentary BehaviorAromatase InhibitorsActive LifestyleAromatase InhibitorsBrief counselingPhysical ActivityQuality of LifeSelf-Determination TheorySurvivorship

Identifiers

PMID41572331
PMCPMC12910743

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.