Conditions for Generating Answers

The PREFERABLE-EFFECT study is a multinational randomized controlled trial conducted at eight hospitals and study centers in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Australia. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of exercise interventions on patients diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer.

The participants included patients who were 18 years of age or older, had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of ≤2, and were able and willing to participate in the exercise program and wear an activity tracker. The study excluded patients with unstable bone metastases, untreated symptomatic brain metastases, estimated life expectancy of <6 months, serious active infection, excessive physical activity, severe neurologic or cardiac impairment, uncontrolled severe respiratory insufficiency or dependency on oxygen supplementation, uncontrolled severe pain, or any other contraindications for exercise.

The study collected data on various parameters and outcomes to assess the impact of exercise on the patients’ overall well-being and treatment outcomes. The study design and methods have been published previously, and the full protocol is provided in the Supplementary information. The PREFERABLE-EFFECT study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the benefits of exercise interventions in stage IV breast cancer patients and provide valuable insights for future treatment strategies in this population.