The effect of tai chi chuan on bone remodeling and cytokines among breast cancer survivors: A feasibility trial

9610 Background: Weight-bearing exercise may slow the rate of bone loss associated with breast cancer treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of tai chi chuan (TCC) on bone health, as measured by the changes in the levels of bone resorption and bone formation. This study also aimed to investigate whether changes in bone health were correlated with growth and inflammation markers that serve as regulators of bone cell function. Methods: Female patients (N=16) who completed treatment for breast cancer within the past 30 months were randomly assigned to either the TCC group or the psycho-educational support group without exercise (ST) for 60 minutes, three times a week for a period of 12 weeks. Serum levels of bone resorption (N-telopeptides of type I collagen; NTx) and bone formation (bone specific alkaline phosphatase; BAP) were determined by ELISA at baseline and post-intervention. Using validated methods, a bone remodeling index (BRI) was calculated from levels of NTx and BAP. In a...