CANCER EXERCISE EXPLAINED BY CHEMO RADIATION

via aicr.org

An article came out yesterday supporting the connection between cancer treatment and cancer exercise. It’s a positive connection in case there are doubts.

‘The Guardian’ rolled out a well studied post with a sub-title, “Leading Australian researchers back world-first campaign for activity to be part of any treatment,” under this title:

Cancer: ‘If exercise was a pill it would be prescribed to every patient’

It’s no surprise Australia leads the world in cancer exercise. To the rest of us it seems they are the most physically active continent on earth. That’s a good reputation to have. Now they say cancer treatment people need to get with the program.

The lead author, Prof Prue Cormie from the Australian Catholic University, said the statement was based on “indisputable” evidence. “Really we are at the stage where the science is telling us that withholding exercise from cancer patients can be harmful,” Cormie said.

“Exercise is the best medicine someone with cancer can take in addition to their standard cancer treatments. That’s because we know now that people who exercise regularly experience fewer and less severe treatment side-effects; cancer-related fatigue, mental distress, quality of life.”

They also have a lower risk of their cancer coming back or dying from the disease, Cormie said.

Read that last sentence one more time: “They also have a lower risk of their cancer coming back or dying from the disease.”

What more motivation for cancer exercise does anyone need?

A year earlier Cancer.net raised their flag on a post by Lee W. Jones, PhD:

Q. Can I exercise on days when I receive treatment?

A. There’s no data to suggest that you can’t. Whether exercise on the day of your treatment may impact treatment effectiveness or tolerability hasn’t been investigated. However, research in mice has found that combining exercise and chemotherapy may be better at controlling tumor growth rates compared to chemotherapy alone.

The discussion goes back and forth with many comments expressing doubt that anyone without chemo and radiation experience has no idea what it might be like to workout under that load.

Fortunately, or not, this writer has the necessary experience called for. I’ll be pitching my cancer exercise story today and post the link on boomerpdx once it’s accepted.

Good readers can leave a comment on the best market for a cancer exercise post. The Guardian? Cancer.net? National Cancer Institute? WebMD? American Cancer Society? Mother Jones?

What’s my opinion on cancer exercise? I self identify as a gym rodent if that helps. Greater details included in my forth coming memoir.