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Posted on Jun 10, 2010, 6 a.m.
Breast and prostate cancer patients who regularly exercise during and after cancer treatment report having a better quality of life and being less fatigued.
Exercise during and after treatment improves quality of life and eases fatigue for patients battling either breast or prostate cancer, finds Eleanor M. Walker, from Henry Ford Hospital (Michigan, USA), and colleagues. The team established a program called ExCITE, that encouraged 30 female breast cancer patients and 20 prostate cancer patients to collaborate on individualized exercise programs. The subjects, ages 35 to 80 years, were followed during their treatment and for a year afterward. Reporting that: "Exercise is a great alternative to patients combating fatigue and nausea who are considering using supplements which may interfere with medications and chemotherapy they're taking during cancer treatment," the researchers urge that: "Using exercise as an approach to cancer care has the potential to benefit patients both physically and psychologically, as well as mitigate treatment side effects."
Eleanor M. Walker, “A pilot study of aerobic exercise performed in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy infusion.” Presentation at 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting; http://abstract.asco.org/AbstView_74_41990.html.
