Grant: CIHR Fellowship

There are more than 150,000 breast cancer survivors (BCS) in Canada and this number is increasing because of improvements in cancer detection and treatment. Despite their higher survival rates, BCS diagnosis and treatment impacts a variety of long-term physical health problems, including inflammatory processes (systemmic inflammation) that have wide-spread consequences in bodily systems and can lead to a number of diseases. The specific indicator of C-reactive protein is used as a marker of inflamation and has been linked to serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and mortallity in BCS. As such, it is important to examine how to prevent the development and progression of systemic inflammation in this high-risk population. This research program postulates that systemic inflammation may be prevented if adaptive self-regulation processes (i.e., self-protection and goal adjustment) foster effective life-style behaviors such as physical activity (PA). This process may occur because self-protection and goal adjustment can reduce distress and foster new and adpative behaviors. The first objective of this study is to examine whether PA reduces wide spread inflammation among BCS. Given PAs health benefits and low rates of activity among BCS, the studys second objective is to determine the role of adaptive self-regulation (e.g., finding something positive in otherwise negative situations or being able to disengage from unattainable goals and reengage in new ones) in enhancing PA and reducing inflammation over time. These objectives will be perused by using an existing ongoing database comprised of a large sample of BCS who were followed over 15 months. This novel and feasible research program provides a foundation for new integrated psychosocial health research to inform intervention programs aimed at reducing burden and decreased health problems among BCS.