Exercise benefits survivors of cancer, new report

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If exercise were a cancer drug, it would be a blockbuster, seems to be the conclusion of a new review about the benefits of exercise to human survival and living beyond cancer. In a report released today, August 8, the leading UK charity Macmillan Cancer Support, solid sweeps aside the tradition that cancer patients should rest "until" and "take it easy", and urges the doctors and nurses to prescribe exercise to patients "at all stages of cancer from initial diagnosis through to the later stages". However, despite the emergence of this evidence, many health professionals failing to tell their cancer patients about the benefits of exercise, they added.

Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, told the press that the data in the report, whose short title is "More move", how important is physical activity appears to recovery from cancer, but "very little attention to the benefits given by health professionals or by commissioning health services".

He urged that promote services and offers training must not only are available, but that they should be "prescribed" to cancer patients.

Devane said cancer patients would be "shocked" if they are how much exercise can help their recovery and long term health, in some cases even reduce the likelihood of having to undergo treatment knew on repeat.

The report, which provides an overview of more than 60 studies and an overview of 400 health workers who are dealing with cancer patients are described, thinks that is not physically activite enough a whopping 1.6 million cancer survivors in the United Kingdom at greater risk of long-term health problems and some greater risk of repetition could bring.

Here are some of its main findings: do recommended levels of physical activity can cut risk of repetition and die of breast cancer by up to 40% and prostate cancer with up to 30%.
For bowel cancer patients, significant amounts of exercise do can cut the risk of repetition and die of the disease by a whopping 50%.
After recommended levels of exercise after cancer treatment can reduce the risk of side effects, such as depression, fatigue, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases cut.Despite this strong evidence, Macmillan say they found that many health workers knew not of, and most of them don't tell their patients about it. She found 56% of GPs, practice nurses, cancer doctors and nurses of cancer is not the benefits of physical activity with their patients.

Jane Maher is a leading clinical oncologist. She also happens to be Chief Medical Officer of Macmillan Cancer Support, and once upon a time said that they would have patients "take it easy" is recommended. The opinion is now totally different, because we have come to realize "exercise were a drug, it would hit the headlines".

Maher said what we need is a "cultural change", so that doctors and other healthcare professionals that physical activity as an "add-on", and instead as an integral part of cancer aftercare treatment.

Devane stresses that physical activity doesn't mean tiring exercise, it can be gardening, go for a brisk walk or a swim, this all count for being physically active.

He urged "professionals in the health care sector, patients may refer to a range of services such as physiotherapy, specialist training programs on leisure centres or hiking groups,".

The report is in favour of bringing activity levels to those recommended by the Department of Health 2011 Start Active, stay active report, which the guidelines of the UK Chief Medical Officers. This recommends that adults 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity to do per week.

The opinion also breaks according to age and level of physical activity that people already do. For example, older adults (aged 65 and older) must be active everyday, and their 150 minutes per week should be in periods of not less than 10 minutes of moderate to intense activity, ideal for 30 minutes at least five days per week. However, for those who are already exercising regularly at a moderate level, then they also have some powerful activity during the week would do, combined with moderate activity.

Older adults should also strive to improve muscle strength, (and if there is risk of falls, balance and coordination as well as), at least two days per week, and minimize the amount of time spent sitting for longer periods of time.

In a statement, Macmillan describe the case of Jane, a 57-year-old woman from Christchurch, near Bournemouth in the South of England. Jane received a "recipe" for exercise after undergoing breast cancer treatment. She said:

"Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I really don't have much exercise. I felt pretty down and exhausted after my treatment--it really knocked it out of me. "

Jane was an exercise programme that included 12 weeks free use of a fitness centre and regular meetings with a trained instructor who recommended she join a dragon boat race-group for women who have breast cancer have prescribed.

"I loved it so much, that I still take part." Jane said, adding that she is as "a completely different person", they "so much better", "more confident", and "feels" much less tired.

"Who could have imagined me is so full of life after everything I've seen?" she added.

Written by Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News today
Not to be reproduced without the permission of medical news today

Article reference:
"The importance of exercise for people with cancer and after: a concise evidence assessment."
Written by Dr. Anna Campbell, University of Dundee; Jo Foster, Macmillan Cancer Support; Dr Clare Stevinson, Loughborough. University and edited by Dr. Nick Cavill (Cavill Associates Ltd). For Macmillan Cancer support.
Link to report (PDF)