Changes in growth factors and estrogens in course of breast cancer: Role of the individual and combined of water-based exercise and ginger supplementation

Growth factors are associated with a change in body composition and chronic diseases such as; cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the individual and concomitant effect of water-based exercise and oral Zingiber officinale supplement on Changes in growth factors and estrogen in overweight women with breast cancer. In a semi-experimental study، Forty obese women diagnosed with breast cancer (76±9 kg، fat mass 41. 8±4 percent) participated. Subjects were randomly assigned into groups; placebo، water-based exercise، Zingiber and water-based exercise+Zingiber groups. Subjects in the Zingiber group and combined group orally received 4 capsules contained 750 mg of zingiber flour for 6 weeks. The water-based exercise program were collected at a progressive intensity and time، ranged from 50 to 75 percent of heart rate reserve، for 6 weeks. Fasting blood sampling was collected at the pretest and post-test. Although، the Zingiber and or the water-base exercise resulted in a reduction in IGF-1 and estrogen levels and a increase in IGFBP-3 levels، changes in the index following the combined intervention (exercise in water+Ginger supplements) were more pronounced compared with pre-test and the control group. However، there was the significant difference only in IGFBP-3 levels between water-base exercise and Zingiber supplementation groups (p=0. 046). Our findings indicate a protective effect of the nondrug strategies such as exercise in water and anti-inflammatory herbal factors in the pathogenesis of growth and metabolic responses in overweight women diagnosed with breast cancer.