P Henry
Exercise improves cancer outcome and QoL[1]. We must use our resources to develop & strengthen our abilities, enhancing ourselves from what is available[2] .
The cancer experience, it’s fears of treatment/ side effects / outcomes, discourages our movement and lowers self-esteem. The regular fatigue keeps us on the couch, bad for our health – snowballing. Breaking this cycle re-energises us. Staying unfit, becoming flabbier, we avoid many body movements or going out and seeing others. This breeds cognitive deficits. Doing moves us on.
Undertaking physical activities improves personal and general health. Our damaged immune system’s ability to prevent illness recovers. Our blood flow increases, we stimulate the largely unconscious ANS [3] (increasing its branches interactive adjustments) which improves mood and establishes a more stable healthy homeostasis[4]. It regulates the endocrine system, mobilises cytotoxic lymphocytes (NK & T cells) wielding antitumor effects and improving our innate immune system. It reduces the levels of lactate, which participate in tumour growth and lowering biological defences and repressing our immune system. [5]
Individualised exercises improve living[6]. Finding your right pace can make it enjoyable and euphoric[7]. Some people are motivated through burning their calories with group activities setting the order. Mixing high and moderate intensity exercises encourages both time use and consistency. The amount and type of exercises are outlined by your age and disability, so from 15 min to +1hr daily[8]. As cancer is heterogeneous, its trajectories, treatment stages, the combination of aerobic and resistance training should be matched with individual needs and body composition[9].
Some exercises can be part of normal daily actions – cleaning the house, TV stretches, walking instead of driving, getting off the bus a stop earlier, dog walking, dancing, going up & downstairs, team games, home workouts (push up, sit up, lunges, squats). Try to have a balanced routine, improve, stretch yourself, focus on form, pay attention to your body signals of pain or exhaustion.
Break up your inactivity with a bit of up and about movements[10]. Sedentary behaviour increases risk for cancer and fuels cancer problems of obesity and sleep[11]. Sleep and balance can be modified by exercise[12] – often slower exercises work better. What, which and how much exercise is about your tolerance, heart & respiration rates, recovery, internal activities and fruitful results. Your doctor/consultant or physiotherapist can work out your optimal individual program.
From the simplest walking to vigorous intensity exercises (cardiovascular), and including less demanding moderate variations[13], benefits flourish. They influence neuro-skeletal and bio-muscular[14] changes improving cancer outcomes[15]. You’ll be able to get out the chair more easily. Being ill and older need not disable you.
Practising exercise routines will positively challenge the entire body homeostasis, enhance skeletal muscles, increase metabolic activity, encourage cell tissue and organ systemic adaptions[16]. The exercised muscle, fuelled with oxygen, inter-responds with other organs, endocrine systems (including the HPA) and mediates whole body and mind benefits[17]. The endocrine systems, involved in oncogenesis[18], are improved.
These molecular and cellular complex networks responding to your exercises, increase mitochondrial biogenesis that helps prevent cancer proliferation[19].
More exercise reduces cancer mortality and improves results[20].
So, exercise as much as possible, include walking, running, bicycling, swimming, aerobics: increasing to at least 30 minutes daily. It is your present and future.
Next section: Gentle Exercises.
[1] Physical activity guidelines in oncology…. (2025) A Avancini et al. Critical Reviews in Oncology / Hematology 210
[2] i.e. Available= Afforded =What the environment does (and can) offer. The Theory of Affordances. (1979) J J Gibson. The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception.
[3] Physiology, Autonomic Nervous System. (2023) Tyler LeBouef et al. Stats Pearl.
[4] Autonomic nervous system reactivity to positive and negative mood induction…. (21Dec10) Willem J Kop et al. Autonomic nervous system activity in emotion. (3Jul10)S D. Kreibig. Biol Psychol. 84(1)
[5] Molecular Mechanisms Linking Exercise to Cancer Prevention and Treatment. (2018) Hojman P., et al. Cell Metab. The Potential Role of Exercise and Nutrition in Harnessing the Immune System to Improve Colorectal Cancer Survival. (2018) M Song et al. Gastroenterology.155.
[6] Physical Activity and Cancer Care …. (27Aug22) W Misiąg et al. Cancers (Basel). 4(17)
[7] …The case of endorphins. (Jun09) R Dishman et al. Mental Health and Physical Activity 2(1). The runner’s high: opioidergic mechanisms in the human brain. (Nov08) Boecker H, et al. Cerebral Cortex. 18(11)
[8] Physical activity and exercise guidelines for all Australians | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing or Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 – NHS or Physical activity.
[10] Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cancer. (Jan21) C M Friedenreich et al. Psycho-Oncology.
[11] Sedentary behavior and cancer…. (25May22) R Hermelink, et al. Eur J Epidemiol. 37(5).
[12] Effects and moderators of exercise on sleep in adults with cancer…. (Sept19) P Bernard et al. J Psychosom Res. 124.
[13] The Effects of High Intensity Interval Training vs Steady State Training …. [24Nov15) Carl Foster et al. J Sports Sci Med14(4). Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity. (7Dec16) M J MacInnis et al. J Physiol.595(9)
[14] Neuromuscular complications in cancer. (2Jun16) W Grisold et al. J Neurol Sci 15(367)
[15] Exercise as a Promising Agent against Cancer: Evaluating Its Anti-Cancer Molecular Mechanisms. (25Oct23) Maria Spanoudaki et al. Cancers (Basel)15(21). Impact of exercise on cancer: mechanistic perspectives and new insights. (13Sept24 ) Ye Feng et al. Front Immunol.15. 24. Physical activity and cancer risk…. (12Jan21) M Jurdana. Radiology and Oncology 55:1
[16] The Potential Role of Exercise and Nutrition in Harnessing the Immune System to Improve Colorectal Cancer Survival. (Sept18) Mingyang Song et al. Gastroenterology 155(3). Exercise as a Promising Agent against Cancer…. (25Oct23) Maria Spanoudaki et al. Cancers (Basel)15(21).
[17] Integrative Biology of Exercise. (6Nov14) J A. Hawley. Cell. 159(4).
[18] TGF-beta signaling in fibroblasts modulates the oncogenic potential… (Feb04) N A Bhowmick,
et al. (February 2004). Science 303.
[19] Metabolic control of mitochondrial biogenesis …. (2011) R Scarpulla, Richard (2011). ” Biochim Biophys Acta. 1813 (7). Impact of exercise on cancer…. (13Sept24) Ye Feng et al. Front Immunol.15.
[20] Physical Activity and Exercise Guidelines for People with Cancer…. (9Oct20) R R Spence et al. Semi in Oncol Nurs.36(5). Effects of combined exercise on psychological and physiological variables in cancer patients…. (2020) Stefania Cataldi et al. Acta Medica Mediterranea. 36 Physical Activity in Cancer Prevention and Survival …. (Jun19) Anne McTiernan et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 51(6).
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