Physical Activity Is an Important Component of Cancer Treatment

Most people are aware that a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise can help prevent certain kinds of cancer. A cancer patient undergoing treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation also benefits from a regular regimen of physical activity. Many people think that a cancer patient should immediately a sedentary lifestyle, but doctors strongly advise against that mindset. Physical activity and exercise are a great benefit to a patient going through physically demanding cancer treatments.

Better health is the primary physical benefit a cancer patient sees when he remains active while receiving cancer treatments. The traditional reasons that healthy people exercise, including weight loss and cardiovascular health, are just as important to cancer patients, if not more so. Even during treatments, a cancer patient who watches his weight can see improvement in heart health, increased muscle strength and tone and a better overall level of fitness. More importantly, research is now showing that exercising during and after cancer treatment can lead to a reduced risk of recurrence.

 The mental and emotional benefits of exercise can be just as important, if not more so, in a patient undergoing treatment. He may be fighting pain and fatigue as well as depression. Moderate levels of exercise or general physical activity can offer a sense of control that a cancer patient so badly needs as his body is pummeled by treatments. A patient can experience an improved outlook on life in general and a growing self-confidence that he and his doctors can work together to treat his disease. 

 A cancer patient must listen to his body each day. His physical limitations are the key factor in determining what he can do on the job, around the house or in his exercise routine. While it’s important that the patient not overdo his activity so that he’s completely fatigued, it’s equally important that he continues to move and stay active. The physical activity that may feel moderately strenuous to the cancer patient nevertheless provides necessary movement as well as a vital sense of emotional well-being.

The type of exercise recommended is going to vary for each patient. There are many factors like previous athletic ability, stage of cancer, and type of cancer that can come into play. For example, mesothelioma and lung cancer causes many patients to focus on increasing lung capacity while breast cancer patients tend to focus on flexibility.

There will be times during treatment that a patient just can’t be active. It’s important that he ask for help when he needs to do so. Family members can take over household duties, or he can hire outside help. On the job, he can temporarily cut his hours back or switch to a less demanding job. When his body is telling him it is so fatigued that he needs to rest, he must not try to push through the exhaustion.
Once he’s completed his treatment, experts recommend that the cancer survivor begin increasing his exercise regimen slowly but steadily. He’ll see increased health and stamina as well as a better prognosis for remaining cancer-free for years to come.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.