In a new study, researchers found that exercise plays an important role in cancer care.
They found that structured exercise programs can play in living with and beyond cancer.
The research was conducted by a team from Northumbria University, Newcastle.
Currently, cancers of the breast, prostate, and colon are amongst the most common in western societies.
Cancer is now considered a chronic condition because more people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis.
However, the physical and mental impacts of cancer and its treatments can be long-lasting.
In the study, the team found that physical activity and structured exercise have an important role in reducing the impact of cancer and its treatments on patients.
The team focused on how exercise combined with a healthy diet could help reverse negative health changes, such as increased body fat and reduced muscle mass.
Another study examined how exercise programs prior to surgery can be used to improve fitness and treatment outcomes in colon cancer patients.
The team has tested approximately 1100 patients for the colon cancer study, and breast cancer and prostate cancer studies have involved over 100 patients.
The team says that there is a real need to provide sustainable lifestyle support, including regular exercise, healthy eating and maintenance of healthy body weight.
This can strongly benefit long-term disease outcomes, such as the risk of cancer recurrence and the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The researchers also say that structured exercise interventions are an important part of all cancer care programs.
They cannot replace the traditional cancer treatments of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and hormone treatments, but they can greatly improve patients’ mental and body health.
The leader of the study is John Saxton, Professor in Clinical Exercise Physiology.
Copyright © 2019 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
