MacVicar 1989.

Methods	RCT, 3 groups, stratified by functional capacity Study start and stop dates: not reported Length of intervention: 10 to 12 weeks Length of follow‐up: end of intervention
Participants	62 breast cancer patients, stage II; after surgery, receiving chemotherapy, entered the study; 45 patients were analysed for cardiorespiratory fitness; 24 patients (without placebo group and further patients excluded) were analysed for weight change and body composition
Interventions	Intervention (n = 18): aerobic training (cycling, interval training), 60% to 85% HRmax, 20 to 30 min per session, 3/week Control group 1 (n = 11): flexibility and stretching exercises ("placebo group") Control group 2 (n = 16): no intervention
Outcomes	Cardiorespiratory fitness: VO2 max Body composition (described in related publication) Outcomes measured at baseline and end of intervention
Notes	Funding: National Institutes of Health Grants RO1 NR 01078, National Center for Nursing Research and P 3OCA 16058 14, National Cancer Institute Conflict of interest: Not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Stated to be randomised, but method not described
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Blinding of participants All outcomes	High risk	Placebo group analysed for functional capacity did stretching exercises. Comment: participants would have been aware if they were in the exercise group or the stretching group
Blinding of personnel/care providers All outcomes	High risk	Not reported. Comment: probably not done
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Fitness outcomes	High risk	Not reported. Comment: probably not done
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes except fitness outcomes	Unclear risk	No other relevant outcomes
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	Drop‐out rate for all participants: 17/62 (27.4%) 45 of 62 participants were analysed for functional capacity. Per‐protocol analysis (n = 45) of n = 62, who entered the study
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	It is unclear why data for only 2 groups was analysed for weight change and body composition
Group similarity at baseline	High risk	Educational status differed. Data for 17 women not shown for baseline
Adherence	Low risk	Adherence complete (missed sessions repeated)
Contamination	Unclear risk	"No subject participated in any other exercise or rehabilitation program during the 10 week data collection period." Comment: amount of physical activity outside of programs unclear