Exercising More After Cancer Boosts Quality of Life

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 01 Dec 2003 - 0:00 PDT

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Patients should exercise more after cancer

Various studies have proved beyond doubt that cancer survivors reap enormous benefits from regular exercise. A further study has demonstrated that improvements in a patient's quality of life are directly related to whether cancer survivors maintain or increase their exercise.

According to Dr. Chris M. Blanchard (Ottawa University, it is not the amount of exercise that matters, rather it is the change they make to their physical activity after diagnosis.

Blanchard's study involved 352 adults who had survived cancer. His study looked at the relationship between exercise and quality of life. Those who exercised three times a week (half an hour per session at least) had vastly better quality of lives than those who were less physically active. Blanchard reports in the Journal Preventive Medicine.

The study also showed that the cancer survivor's quality of life stayed better if he or she maintained their increase in physical activity. The survivor's change in physical activity seemed to matter more than the amount of activity.

Blanchard said that it is not necessary to recommend a specific amount of exercise. More importantly, he stressed, is the need to promote physical activity after a cancer diagnosis.

So, if someone never exercises he maybe should do something twice a week. If another person exercises twice a week, he should perhaps add another session per week.

Blanchard stressed that this study looked at quality of life, not whether the cancer returned or not. He said that reducing the chances of the cancer returning may be related to more specific amounts of physical activity. He said he was exploring this new area.