To understand the effect of exercise on biological mechanisms will require use of interdisciplinary approaches and methods from both basic and clinical research. "We are thrilled to bring together a network of experts in the field that will include medical oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, epidemiologists and behavioral scientists. By forming a transdisciplinary team of scientists, we will use an innovative design and methods to examine how exercise impacts breast cancer risk and recurrence," said Yale University's Melinda Irwin, PhD.

Breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women in the United States and accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths every year despite decreases in incidence rates due to early detection and existing therapies. Exercise promises to offer an alternate cost-effective, non-medical treatment option for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, leading to improved quality of life.

"If this research can demonstrate that physical activity leads to alterations in these or other biological pathways, this would help provide important basic information that links exercise to breast cancer," said Komen President Elizabeth Thompson. "That information could then be used to both direct future research and to develop guidelines for millions of breast cancer survivors and women at risk of developing the disease."

SOURCE Society for Women's Health Research