Doctors urged to prescribe exercise to more patients

Exercise significantly reduces negative side effects on cancer care, research shows

Doctors have been urged to prescribe exercise to more patients undergoing cancer care in a new study which looked at the links between physical activity and treatments.

More exercise can help counter the side-effects of treatments, researchers found, as well as boosting mental wellbeing and promoting sleep.

Experts carried out an overarching review of the evidence available on the topic, publishing their findings in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Researchers in China brought together data from 80 systematic reviews, which examined links between exercise and different types of cancer.

Exercise, compared with usual care or no exercise, significantly reduced certain side-effects linked to cancer treatment, heart and nerve damage, and brain fog, the umbrella review found. Those who exercise also reported having a better quality of life.

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Various types of exercise during cancer treatment can help to manage obesity, lower body fat and improve lean body mass.

And physical activity also regulates key indicators of health in the body – such as insulin and inflammation markers.

The research team also found that exercise “improves sleep quality, overall quality of life and psychological outcomes among people with cancer”.

“Our findings suggested that taking part in exercise greatly enhanced sleep quality, reduced insomnia, and alleviated anxiety and depression in people with cancer, thus improving their overall quality of life,” the authors wrote.

This could include yoga and general exercise to promote better sleep and tai chi for anxiety, the study suggests.

Meanwhile, the researchers found that exercise also improves the “physiological and social function” of people with cancer.

“These findings highlight the critical importance of maintaining an exercise regimen throughout the entire chemotherapy period,” they said.

“HIIT (high intensity interval training), aerobic exercise and resistance exercise significantly improved body strength and aerobic capacity, with HIIT notably alleviating cancer-related fatigue and pain,” they said.

“Given that cancer often reduces social interactions, our research showed that regular exercise improves social functionality, increases the likelihood of returning to work, and, notably, yoga significantly enhances overall social wellbeing.”

They called for more studies to be carried out to help “refine” which types of exercise could be beneficial for different types of cancer.

“This study reinforces the efficacy of incorporating exercise into cancer treatment protocols,” they concluded.

“This umbrella review suggests that exercise enhances a range of health outcomes in people with cancer.

“Exercise mitigates adverse outcomes associated with cancer and its treatments, such as cardiac toxicity, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms, cognitive impairment and dyspnoea.

“Moderate to high certainty evidence also supports the view that exercise enhances psychological wellbeing and quality of life in people with cancer.”

Commenting on the study, Celene Doherty, specialist cancer information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: “This research provides further evidence that exercise can help reduce side effects from cancer treatment and improve long-term health.

“However, cancer patients go through a lot when they are diagnosed, and focusing on lifestyle changes like being more active might sound overwhelming.

“It’s important to take things at your own pace and do activities that are right for you.

“If you’d like advice or support on your situation, speak to your cancer team.”