Avenues - Winter 2004

Exercise and Health

It's no secret that regular exercise is important to achieving optimal health, but the following recent studies suggest that regular exercise can be particularly helpful to those going through cancer treatments:

Method: A 12-week supervised aerobic exercise program in a hospital setting.
Participants: 24 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous three years.
Results: Significant improvements in the person's own body image (for example, concerns about weight) and reduced feelings of distress.1

Method: An individualized, self-paced walking exercise program at home during radiation therapy.
Participants: 46 women receiving radiation therapy treatment for breast cancer.
Results: Significantly reduced fatigue and anxiety. Significantly improved sleep.2

Method: Tibetan yoga, which incorporated controlled breathing and visualization with low-impact postures.
Participants: 39 people with lymphoma who were undergoing treatment or who had concluded treatment within the past 12 months.
Results: Significantly improved sleep, even after long-term follow-up.3

Method: A home-based moderate walking exercise program.
Participants: 52 women during breast cancer treatment.
Results:Women who exercised at least 90 minutes per week on three or more days reported significantly less fatigue and emotional distress.4

Method: Daily exercise on a treadmill.
Participants: 66 people with leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma (34 men, 32 women) undergoing conventional or high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue.
Results: Despite chemotherapy and its related complications, there was no decline in physical performance (measured as walking speed and perceived level of effort).5

Note: One study followed a group of patients for a 12-month period after cancer treatment and found that without a specific program, people tended not to increase the amount of exercise they did over time. This study suggests that having a more specific, formal exercise program can help sustain the activity.6

References:
1. Pinto, B. M., M. M. Clark, et al. (2003). "Psychological and fitness changes associated with exercise participation among women with breast cancer." Psychooncology 12(2): 118-26.
2. Mock, V., K. H. Dow, et al. (1997). "Effects of exercise on fatigue, physical functioning, and emotional distress during radiation therapy for breast cancer." Oncol Nurs Forum 24(6): 991-1000.
3. Cohen, L., C. Warneke, et al. (2004). "Psychological adjustment and sleep quality in a randomized trial of the effects of a Tibetan yoga intervention in patients with lymphoma." Cancer 100(10): 2253-60.
4. Mock, V., M. Pickett, et al. (2001). "Fatigue and quality of life outcomes of exercise during cancer treatment." Cancer Pract 9(3): 119-27.
5. Dimeo, F., S. Schwartz, et al. (2003). "Effects of endurance training on the physical performance of patients with hematological malignancies during chemotherapy." Support Care Cancer 11(10): 623-8.
6. Pinto, B. M., J. J. Trunzo, et al. (2002). "Exercise participation after diagnosis of breast cancer: trends and effects on mood and quality of life." Psychooncology 11(5): 389-400.

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