More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Cancer and Exercise
Does exercise play a role in recovery and coping during treatment for cancer?Medical science has long known that people who exercise are less likely to develop cancer, and the data for specific cancers such as colon cancer and breast cancer has been most encouraging.Recent years have also shed light on the role of exercise prescription in treating people with cancer once cancer has already been diagnosed.
According to the American Cancer Society, “Newer research has shown that exercise is not only safe and possible during cancer treatment, but it can improve physical functioning and quality of life.”The American College of Sports Medicine's new guidelines are urging cancer patients to exercise more, even hard as it may sound those who are undergoing treatment.Medical research is showing that physical activity improves quality of life and eases some cancer-related fatigue.Moreover, exercise can help fend off a serious decline in physical function that can last long after therapy is finished.
Recent research has shown a more powerful role of exercise in actually reversing the progression of cancer, specifically, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and metastasis, as well reducing risk factors for cancer.For example, physical activity is inversely related to estrogen levels, a known risk factor for breast cancer. Obesity is also a known risk factor for cancer reduced by exercise.Perhaps the most intriguing risk factor for cancer, which is clearly impacted by exercise, is stress.Not only does stress impair the much-needed function of the immune system, but the stress of a cancer diagnosis itself has been shown to dramatically impair immune function just when it is needed the most.Individuals who exercise are much less impacted by the stress of a cancer diagnosis, and even those who begin an exercise regimen during their other medical treatment are showing significant benefits in recovery outcome and quality of life over those who do not exercise.
Research has shown beneficial effects for many different forms of exercise, including yoga, tai chi, qigong, aerobics and other forms of dance, and strength training. Fitness level is also a factor in determining the appropriate exercise prescription. University of Miami researcher, Jamie Stagle, has recently demonstrated the positive effects of following the ACSM exercise guidelines for individuals affected by cancer. The role of the clinical exercise physiologist is to prescribe the proper quality and quantity of exercise for an individual's personal circumstances.
