Calcitriol, Physical Activity, and Bone Health in Cancer Survivors

Both the calcitriol and exercise interventions are aimed at reducing fracture risk by maintaining proper bone density, thereby preventing osteoporotic/osteopenic conditions and increasing muscle mass. Both calcitriol and exercise are efficacious in maintaining proper bone health and muscle mass among the general population, but little research has been done on breast cancer patients and survivors. The combination of calcitriol and exercise, which function through different but similar mechanisms, could produce interactive effects in reducing fracture risk among breast cancer survivors. Hypothesis: A combination of calcitriol along with a structured home-based walking and progressive resistance exercise program will be efficacious in preventing bone resorption and in increasing bone formation among survivors of invasive breast cancer.