Role of Exercise in Cancer Survivors

One of the most important components during a cancer survivorship journey is regular exercise as per a study at the University Of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Individuals who have completed cancer treatment can re-build their stamina, reduce anxiety, improve quality of life and physical fitness through physical activities. It also improves survival outcomes.

“Many people living with cancer are living for a very long time because we do such a good job at treating cancer now. Therefore, we also need to be concerned about the risk of other chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, which we know is also reduced with exercise,” says CU Cancer Center member Heather Leach, Ph.D., associate professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University and director of the Physical Activity for Treatment and Prevention Lab.

Exercise and Cancer

Many interventions programs like Fit Cancer, BfitBwell, or Livestrong help people successfully engage in positive health outcomes through physical activity. However, as the program ends, some people have a challenging time maintaining their levels.

The present study analyzed the best ways to keep cancer survivors active and fitness after three- and six-month intervals through three community-based exercise programs — the Fit Cancer program at CSU, a Livestrong program at the Longmont YMCA, and Surviving and Thriving After Cancer at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie.

“Our hypothesis is that those who are not responding in terms of meeting activity goals, or those who have decreased their activity levels from where they were at post-program, will benefit from additional intervention to achieve recommended physical activity levels at the six-month follow-up,” says Leach.

Hence, the study highlights that long-term maintenance of physical activity and sustainability of these behavioral changes in aiding the cancer patients active.

Source-Medindia