According to the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, or NCPAD, only heart disease outranks cancer as the leading cause of deaths in the United States. A third of women and half of men develop cancer during their lives. Many undergo chemotherapy as treatment for cancer, and those who already exercise regularly often want to continue. Others find that becoming more fit helps control their symptoms.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of strong drugs to treat cancer. As of 2010, over 100 drugs are available, depending on the type and stage of cancer. Chemo is used to keep the cancer from spreading or to kill cells that may have already spread to other parts of the body. Some of chemotherapy's side effects include fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, as well as memory and emotional changes.
Cancer and Exercise
Exercise can help treat cancers and their symptoms in three important ways, and in some cases may even prevent certain cancers. The NCPAD reports on three studies which show the positive effects of exercise as it relates to cancer. The first indicates that cancers of the breast, prostate, colon and possibly lung, digestive system, thyroid, bladder and the hematopoietic system appear less frequently in active people. Another shows aerobic exercise has benefits for people undergoing treatment for cancer by improving their physical function and relieving nausea, fatigue and depression. The third study shows that cancer survivors can recover their physical functions and return to a healthy, active lifestyle by exercising.
Studies
A study of early breast cancer survivors, begun in 1996 by the National Cancer Institute and called HEAL, for Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle, reports that exercise reduces cancer-related fatigue, both during and after treatment. A study reported in the "Journal of Clinical Oncology" in May 2007 divided breast cancer survivors into two groups -- one which stretched passively and an intervention group which exercised aerobically. The aerobics group showed a significant improvement in quality of life, including depression. The NCPAD reports on a 1988 study on aerobic exercise and nausea that found feelings of nausea disappeared after a few minutes of aerobic exercise and did not return for the rest of the day, leading the researchers to believe that aerobic exercise can be an effective method for managing nausea in women undergoing chemotherapy.
Individual Variables
It is always important to check with your doctor before beginning or continuing any exercise program during chemotherapy. Depending on the location of the cancer and how recently you had surgery, any program may have to be curtailed or adjusted to your particular needs.
Amy Cooper, a breast cancer survivor, felt it was vital that she keep up her fitness level during chemotherapy, both for her physical stamina and mental health. Her doctor concurred that she could exercise as much as she felt up to. "I had just run my first marathon two weeks before surgery," she says. "I continued to go to the gym regularly but was not able to exercise as vigorously as before. I did add yoga to my routine and found it helped with stress reduction."
Other Benefits
In addition to helping with the symptoms and management of chemotherapy, aerobic exercise has implications for cancer survivors and people without cancer as well. The NCPAD reports results of a study which supports moderate-intensity aerobic exercise undertaken most days of the week as causing reductions in premature death, high blood pressure, colon cancer, diabetes, depression and anxiety, and improved strength and stamina in the elderly.
References
- NCPAD: Disability/Condition: Cancer and Exercise
- PubMed.gov: Randomized Trial of Exercise Therapy in Women Treated for Breast Cancer
- Amy Cooper; Breast Cancer Survivor; Birmingham, Al.
