Childhood cancer (CCA) is a global and devastating disease. Although it is relatively rare compared to CA in adults, its incidence is still significant. The most common types of CCA include leukemia, central nervous system tumors, and lymphomas. The causes of CCA are not yet completely understood, but genetic, environmental, and immunological factors play important roles. Early diagnosis is...
Introduction: Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) is a prevalent condition associated with lifelong physical, psychological and social burden, and lower quality of life. The primary aim of this trial is to determine if adding exercise therapy or compression therapy to usual care can prevent BCRL. Secondary aims evaluate effects on patient-reported outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of...
Purpose:
This qualitative study used focus groups (FGs) to explore family experiences of CHAMPs (The CHildhood and adolescent cancer survivors physical Activity and Movement Programme). CHAMPs is a 12-week multi-component physical activity (PA) behaviour change intervention for childhood and adolescent survivors of cancer (CASC) aged 10 to 19 years.
Methodology:
CHAMPs aimed to...
Introduction. Observational evidence links exercise to longer survival, but to date, no causality has been demonstrated. The primary aim of the STARLighT trial is to evaluate the impact of a structured exercise and nutrition intervention on pathological complete response (pCR) in patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment and on disease-free survival (DFS) in patients undergoing adjuvant...
BACKGROUND:
The role of fascia has gained significant attention, especially in the fields of sports medicine, but also recently in oncology. Understanding fascial pathology not only offers insights into the biomechanics and movement but also may reflect potential therapeutic targets for cancer patients. However, evaluation of fascial properties is not trivial.
**RESEARCH...
Background: Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy commonly experience adverse effects such as joint pain, fatigue, and reduced quality of life. These symptoms can affect treatment adherence and survivorship. Given the growing number of breast cancer survivors, understanding supportive care strategies such as exercise is critical for...
Background:
Emerging work in fascia biology and integrative oncology suggests that fascia is not a passive scaffold but a dynamic, innervated interface that shapes tumor mechanics, immune trafficking, and symptom burden. Fascial integrity, stiffness, and remodeling appear to influence local invasion, metastatic spread along tissue planes, and treatment-related fibrosis, with direct...
Background: Acute exercise can transiently modulate immune and inflammatory pathways relevant to tumor progression, yet the magnitude and direction of these effects may depend on host phenotype. Purpose: To determine whether a single session of combined exercise (CT) modifies circulating chemokine concentrations in women with breast cancer before treatment, and whether these responses are...
Introduction. Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related fatalities worldwide, with 80% of cases classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Novel immunotherapies have markedly improved the outcome in certain subsets of patients. Exercise has a known immune-stimulating effect with various interleukins being significantly elevated in response to exercise.
Methods. In our 3-arm...
Background: Exercise is increasingly integrated into supportive care for lung cancer, but objective evidence for patients with advanced disease remains limited. We synthesized randomized trials to quantify the effects of exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength in advanced lung cancer.
Methods: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched up to June...
PURPOSES: Pediatric cancer patients exposed to anthracycline drugs are at high risk of cardiac dysfunction and early-stage of heart failure. Hence, chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity is a long-term complication in childhood cancer survivors and is associated with mortality. Strategies to mitigate these effects are explored. Exercise has emerged as a promising intervention to address...
Purpose: Cancer and its treatments frequently induce detrimental alterations in body composition, which adversely affect patients’ prognosis and quality of life (QoL). This study investigated the impact of exercise on body composition, physical fitness, and QoL in patients living with cancer.
Methods: Patients with solid cancers treated at the University Hospital of Verona enrolled in a...
Background
Patients with incurable gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GAC) experience an impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which might further deteriorate over time. These patients are often confronted with significant life-impacting symptoms, such as fatigue and reduced physical functioning. Exercise combined with nutritional support may improve these outcomes. However,...
Background & Aims: Safe and unrestricted walking is essential for participation in everyday life. It depends on the balanced contribution of muscle strength and joint mobility, modulated by precise sensory feedback. In children with cancer, physical impairments like reduced strength, limited joint mobility, and balance deficits can disrupt this interplay, and lead to compensatory gait...
Introduction
Exercise is recognized as a key component of supportive care in cancer. However, adherence to exercise programs varies considerably among cancer patients, which may influence their effectiveness in improving functional capacity and body composition. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the dose–response effects of exercise on functional capacity and body composition in cancer...
Background: Persistent fatigue is a complex and highly distressing late effect after cancer, reported by more than one-third of women treated for breast cancer (BC). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of multidisciplinary interventions among cancer survivors with persistent fatigue are lacking. In a recently completed RCT in fatigued lymphoma survivors (the...
Background Exercise has been suggested as a promising non-pharmaceutical intervention for cancer treatment induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). However, current evidence is limited to only a few, mostly small, studies with heterogeneous interventions and methodological limitations, and only a limited number of studies focus on chronic CIPN. In addition, data on the cost-effectiveness of...
Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) and its treatments have significant detrimental effects on multiple survivorship domains. Multimodal programs incorporating exercise-based interventions are frequently integrated as supportive care strategies in western cohorts, however evidence in resource constrained settings remains scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of...
Background and Purpose: Moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA; i.e., aerobic and resistance exercise) improves physical function and quality of life for cancer survivors and is associated with reductions in cancer-specific and all-cause mortality. Unfortunately, recent estimates suggest that only 14% of individuals with a cancer history are engaging in the amount of MVPA...
Older adults, who represent nearly half of new cancer diagnoses in France, remain largely underrepresented in phase I trials (<7%). Functional decline and frailty are key barriers to their participation. The primary purpose of the ENERGY study is to determine whether a multimodal intervention combining exercise, nutritional management, and psychological support can improve inclusion and...
Background: Psychological symptoms, including anxiety and depression are prevalent among patients living with and beyond cancer. Limited research suggests that exercise effects might differ between patients with low or elevated symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, single randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are often underpowered to detect moderation effects. Hence, drawing on...
Background: Although exercise therapy has the potential to address physical decline, symptoms, and reduced quality of life (QOL) in patients with bone metastases, its effectiveness has not been sufficiently examined. This scoping review aimed to identify, summarize and map the relevant literature that provides information on the effects of exercise on physical function, symptoms, and QOL in...
Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most distressing symptoms experienced by individuals with cancer and significantly affects physical functioning and quality of life. Although exercise is recognized as an effective strategy for managing CRF, racialized women remain underrepresented in exercise oncology research. This systematic review synthesized evidence from randomized...
Background
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is an intensive adoptive T-cell treatment for meta-static malignant melanoma (MM) that can induce sustained clinical responses in patients with advanced disease, including after failure of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The treatment in-volves tumor excision, ex vivo TIL expansion (5–7 weeks), lymphodepleting chemotherapy, and high-dose...
Background:
Since introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, the prognosis of melanoma has improved markedly in both adjuvant and metastatic settings. More recently, neoadjuvant therapy has emerged as an alternative to adjuvant treatment and has shown encouraging clinical and pathological outcomes for patients with melanoma, although long-term survival data are still maturing. Exercise...
Pediatric oncology is an area in which pharmacological treatments can lead to significant reductions in physical capacity, muscle strength, and overall quality of life. In recent years, adapted physical exercise has emerged as a safe and effective complementary intervention for oncology patients, although the literature still offers limited evidence. For this reason, the present study aims to...
Background
Despite strong evidence supporting exercise in cancer care, uptake into routine practice remains low. Exercise during chemotherapy infusion (intra-infusion) offers a novel strategy to address this gap. Exercise could enhance treatment efficacy by acutely increasing tumour blood flow, potentially enhancing drug delivery when performed simultaneously with chemotherapy infusion....
Introduction
Research in exercise oncology has consistently provided evidence supporting the integration of exercise into all phases of cancer care but less is known about how this can be implemented across patient groups, geographical borders and health care systems. This study, part of the Interreg South Baltic Program-funded project “AMBeR” (Advanced Modelling of Baltic E-cancer caRe),...
Background: Head and neck cancer survivors (HNCS) endure side effects including loss of muscular strength and physical functioning, fatigue, and swallowing difficulties that impact quality of life (QoL). Our team previously conducted a single-group pilot study of heavy lifting strength training (HLST) in HNCS, that showed promising results. The proposed study will build on this work to further...
Introduction
Solid tumors are often characterized with abnormal vascular structures, reduced perfusion and endothelial dysfunction which collectively limits therapy delivery. Preclinical data suggest that aerobic exercise of high-intensity may create a tumor-suppressive environment, enhancing treatment efficacy. This study investigates the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on...
Introduction: Children undergoing cancer treatment frequently exhibit motor impairments; however, objective comparisons with normative motor development standard remain limited. Understanding the coordination deficits is essential to guide early and targeted rehabilitation strategies in pediatric oncology. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated gross motor coordination (GMC)...
Background. Chemotherapy side effects often cause dose reductions or delays in women with breast cancer (BC), and relative dose intensities below 85% are linked to poorer prognosis and reduced treatment efficacy. Exercise may modulate treatment response by influencing the tumor microenvironment. Recent evidence suggests that exercise may contribute to tumor regression during neoadjuvant...
*Introduction:*Pediatric sarcopenia is increasingly recognized in children and adolescents with cancer, as the disease and its treatments accelerate muscle mass and strength loss. Early detection is crucial to guide nutritional and functional care. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare two classification models of sarcopenia based on anthropometric indicators, muscle strength,...
The CCTG CO.21 Trial is a large randomized controlled trial that recently improved disease-free survival and overall survival in colon cancer patients after a 3-year structured exercise program. PURPOSE: This sub-study leverages data from the CO.21 Trial to test the effect of the first 12-months of physical activity behaviour change intervention (EG) compared to health-education group (HEG) on...
Purpose-Latina/Hispanic breast cancer survivors (LHBCS) often experience worse outcomes due to late diagnosis, poor treatment adherence, and limited healthcare access. LHBCS also show insufficient physical activity levels, which may contribute to poorer treatment outcomes. Low income, limited education, and restricted healthcare access strongly influence cancer screening and survival....
Purpose: Improving the effectiveness of breast cancer (BC) treatment remains a major priority due to its high incidence and mortality. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is widely used in triple negative and HER2 positive disease, and in selected luminal HER2 negative cases. Evidence suggests that structured exercise may enhance treatment responses. This RCT aims to: (1) determine whether adding...
Background:
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a side effect of the administration of oxaliplatin, a neurotoxic agent, which causes dysfunction of peripheral neurons and interferes with quality of life. Pharmacological therapies have shown limited efficacy in controlling symptoms, leading to the exploration of physical exercise as a therapeutic alternative....
Introduction: Childhood cancer treatment represents a highly challenging experience for the entire family. Changes in daily routines and uncertainty about the future can intensify emotional distress among family members. Objective: To examine the association between life satisfaction and emotional distress among family members of children undergoing cancer treatment. Method: This...
Objectives
Long-term effects of childhood cancer and its treatment can impair psychosocial functioning, which can influence engagement in physical activity. Identifying severity and affected domains is essential for designing effective interventions.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, 84 Childhood Cancer Survivors (CCS) (41.6% male; 19.0 ± 3.4 years; 4.2 ± 3.3 years...
Background: Loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is common during systemic cancer treatment, but the extent and variability across cancer and treatment types remain uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to describe changes in SMM during systemic cancer treatment.
Materials and methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until April 11, 2025, for...
Background: Our research shows that symptoms of lower-extremity lymphedema are commonly reported in women who have undergone surgery for endometrial cancer. Although previous trials have demonstrated beneficial effects of exercise training on lymphedema among women with breast cancer, the feasibility and efficacy to treat lower-extremity lymphedema in women with gynecological cancer remains...
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults to perform muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week at moderate or greater intensity. Muscle-strengthening activities and having sufficient skeletal muscle mass and strength are increasingly recognized for their role in improving health outcomes in both primary and tertiary prevention settings, including...
Introduction: Breast cancer and obesity have been independently associated with functional limitations and reduced quality of life (QoL). However, the extent to which physical activity modifies obesity-related impairments in breast cancer survivorship remains unclear. This study aimed to compare functional performance and QoL across groups defined by obesity status and physical activity level...
Background
Exercise is vital in prostate cancer survivorship, yet many men face barriers to traditional programmes, particularly gym-based options that may not align with their preferences. The Danish FC Prostate Cancer initiative, a recreational football model, has shown strong feasibility and acceptability by offering a culturally familiar, male-friendly alternative that supports social...
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of neurotoxic chemotherapy that can affect functioning and quality of life. No effective pharmacological treatments exist, highlighting the need to understand non-pharmacological strategies such as exercise. Given significant heterogeneity in the CIPN outcome measures chosen across studies, this scoping review aimed to...
Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of neurotoxic cancer treatments, primarily affecting sensory and motor functions in hands and feet. CIPN can interfere with daily activities and cancer treatment. Exercise may represent a promising approach to CIPN prevention; however, it is not currently reflected in international guidelines because evidence...
Background: Lifestyle factors such as physical activity (PA) may help prevent and reduce adverse effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men with prostate cancer. Most evidence on PA in this population comes from exercise-based interventions or self-reported measures that primarily capture structured exercise. While exercise can be beneficial, it is not always appealing or feasible...
Background
Exercise oncology programs demonstrate short-term benefits for physical function and quality of life (QOL); however, evidence supporting long-term survivorship outcomes remains limited.
Purpose
To describe five-year survivorship health status, physical activity (PA), and QOL among participants who completed 12-week in-person exercise programming for the Alberta Cancer...
Purpose
To examine the associations between baseline sleep quality and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) during neoadjuvant breast cancer (BC) treatment, and whether participation in an exercise program modified these associations.
Methods
Women undergoing neoadjuvant BC treatment participated in supervised exercise or usual care as part of the Neoadjuvant Exercise Oncology Program...
Background: Cognitive impairment, including memory and attention problems (“chemo-brain”), following chemotherapy is present in as many as 70% of patients treated with chemotherapy. High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has shown to be more effective than moderate continuous intensity aerobic exercise for improving cognitive function among adults. Therefore, the CLARITY Trial sought to...
In the UK, supervised exercise is recommended by NICE for prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT); however, engagement in physical activity remains limited. Although high adherence is observed during supervised exercise, it is unclear whether participants maintain activity after supervision. Barriers include treatment-related side-effects and low motivation....
Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) often experience long-term adverse effects that may compromise physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), with potential implications for psychosocial outcomes including depression, affect and distress. This study explored associations between physical- and psychosocial outcomes in CCS.
Methods: 84 CCS (42% male, 0.5-10 years after...
Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) is a central outcome in pediatric oncology, and both patient- and caregivers reported perspectives contribute to understanding overall well-being. However, it remains unclear whether children’s functional status influences the relationship between caregiver perceptions and self-reported QoL. This study examined the association between caregiver...
Background
Exercise is increasingly recognized as beneficial in addressing breast cancer treatment-related sequelae including lymphedema. However, uncertainty remains regarding the safety of low levels of supervision. Currently, only supervised exercise is recommended for those at risk of, or with, lymphedema, yet head-to-head trials directly comparing supervision levels are limited. These...
Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer is largely incurable. The primary goal of first-line treatment is to prolong survival while maintaining acceptable levels of health-related quality of life. However, chemotherapy is associated with substantial treatment-related toxicity, and 30–50% of patients with mCRC experience clinically relevant reductions in health-related quality of life during...
Background: Despite survival gains with immune checkpoint and targeted therapies, toxicities and adverse effects—particularly fatigue—impair quality of life in melanoma patients. Although exercise benefits are established in oncology, its integration in melanoma care is underexplored. RESPECT examines whether a supervised hybrid (online/in-person) exercise program reduces fatigue and improves...
Background. Cancer-related sarcopenia is a unique form of muscle atrophy. No other type (immobilization, aging, microgravity, etc.) results in such profound impairment of patient prognosis. Considering that and given the absence of a curative treatment, we aimed to investigate the molecular basis of cancer-related sarcopenia and the role of exercise in its management.
Methods. Two...
Background: Cancer often brings psychological challenges such as distress, depression, and anxiety, which can negatively affect health outcomes. Exercise is known to improve these symptoms, yet the mechanisms underlying its psychological benefits remain unclear.
Aims: This feasibility study examined the effect of a six-week resistance training programme on exercise-self-efficacy,...
Introduction
Exercise interventions are feasible and safe for patients with malignant lymphomas, with no evidence of increased adverse events. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a demanding therapy that significantly affects quality of life (QOL) and is associated with reductions in respiratory function, muscle strength and exercise capacity. Resistance training (RT) has...
Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) disproportionally impacts survivors of adolescent and young adult (YA) brain tumors. CRF is understudied and poorly managed in this population. While exercise training has demonstrated efficacy at improving CRF in adult cancer survivors—potentially by improving cellular energy production and reducing inflammation— it has not been tested in fatigued YA...
Background
Shoulder co-morbidities are common after breast cancer treatment, with recent studies showing a high prevalence of subacromial impingement (SI). However, the functional implications of SI remain uninvestigated.
Methods
We examined 13 breast cancer survivors with SI (SI+ group; age 57.8 ± 7.3 years, height 161.6 ± 7.2 cm, body mass 78.6 ± 12.6 kg) eleven breast cancer survivors...
Introduction:
Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare ocular malignancy with high mortality, for which supportive therapies to mitigate disease- and treatment-related side effects are lacking. Moreover, UM offers a unique opportunity to investigate microvascular responses to exercise in close tumor proximity in vivo. We investigated the effects of a 4–8-week combined exercise intervention on disease-...
Purpose: Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) is an established technique to reduce cardiac dose in left-sided breast radiotherapy. Successful implementation requires adequate thoracic expansion, stable plateaus, and sufficient apnea-time. This study evaluates the effect of structured respiratory training on breath-hold performance and DIBH eligibility, and whether breath-hold capacity mediates...
Introduction: Physical activity during treatment for cancer has been shown to improve function, and reduce treatment-related side effects, but existing evidence is largely derived from early-stage and more common cancers and may not reflect the experiences of women with ovarian cancer. This qualitative study explored side effects associated with chemotherapy and experiences with physical...
Current evidence suggests that exercise is safe and well-tolerated by cancer patients and has potential to mitigate cancer-related fatigue (CRF), a distressing and undermanaged adverse event. This study evaluated if supervised group exercise for 60 minutes (aerobic/strength), 2-3 times/week for 12 weeks, can impact CRF over time. FACIT-FS, a self-reported questionnaire, was used to assess CRF...
Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is common amongst breast cancer survivors, severely affecting quality of life (QoL) after treatment. Although targeted exercise, such as aerobic or strength training, appear to be helpful, the optimal type and exercise parameters require further investigation. These case series explored the effects of a fast-track individually tailored combined...
Background: Adolescents and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (18-39 years at diagnosis) face unique long-term challenges following treatment. Fatigue is among the most persistent problems, impairing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and reducing workability. Many AYAs also engage in unhealthy lifestyle behaviours. My recent analyses from the Dutch SURVAYA data (~4000 AYA cancer...
Background/Purpose: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common, debilitating symptom among cancer survivors. Exercise-based cancer rehabilitation improves CRF over time but less is known about acute effects. This study examined week-to-week changes in CRF from before to after exercise sessions during a 12-week outpatient rehabilitation program.
Methods: As part of an observational,...
Introduction: Cancer survivors experience many symptoms years after treatment. This overall symptom burden interferes significantly with the ability to work and perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Yoga, a form of exercise, is a promising therapy to mitigate these symptoms.
Methods: We conducted a nationwide, multicenter, phase III, RCT testing the effect of Yoga for Cancer Survivors...
Background
Baseline physical function may predict the toxicity of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. The MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) prehabilitation program evaluates older adults prior to CAR T-cell therapy to assess baseline physical function and optimize physical activity.
Objective
To evaluate the association of baseline physical function with the risk of CAR T-cell...
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CART), used to treat hematologic malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM) and diffuse large cell B lymphoma (DLBCL), offers a chance of lasting remission for relapsed and refractory disease. Unfortunately, symptom burden can be high and impact clinical outcomes and functionality, leading to impaired patient quality of life. PURPOSE: Assess...
Background
Aging is associated with progressive declines in muscle strength and mobility, which may be exacerbated in individuals with cancer due to disease-related systemic inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, and accelerated muscle catabolism. In colorectal cancer, tumor-driven cytokine activity, decreased nutritional intake, and reduced habitual physical activity may further compromise...
Objective:
Preclinical models using osteogenic exercise have demonstrated mechanical load-induced changes delay osteolytic activity and rescue bone loss. Our recent work in multiple myeloma (MM) identified individualised targeted exercise can reduce bone pain; however, research is yet to explore the potential effect of exercise on bone health. The MyeEx-Impact multi-site randomised...
Background:
Early detection of glioblastoma (GBM) recurrence remains challenging. In clinical practice, distiguishing true tumor progression from treatment-related changes such as radiation necrosis (pseudoprogression) is difficult. Therefore, complementary markers of early disease activity are of interest. Based on own experiences, we investigated systematically whether documented changes in...
Introduction
Exercise-induced benefits in cancer patients have been consistently observed in exercise oncology research but precise manipulation of training variables (e.g., volume, intensity, frequency) is key to optimize clinically relevant patient-reported outcomes among breast cancer survivors (BCS). Evidence indicates that resistance training (RT) is safe, feasible, ameliorates...
Purpose
The multinational PREFERABLE-EFFECT study showed beneficial effects of a 9-month supervised exercise program on fatigue and quality of life in patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC).
Here, we investigate exercise effects on objectively and subjectively assessed physical activity (PA) and on physical fitness outcomes.
Methods
In the PREFERABLE-EFFECT study, 357 patients were...
Background: Inova’s Peterson Life with Cancer (PLWC) is a nationally recognized supportive care program providing free psychosocial, integrative medicine, and educational services to individuals with cancer and their families across Northern Virginia, USA. Embedded within this model is an exercise oncology program delivering no-cost, community-based movement and fitness classes. The...
Introduction: In lung cancer, physical activity may help to manage treatment-related side effect thus improving treatment tolerance. However, a cancer diagnosis often triggers behavioral shifts that may contribute to increase the sedentary habits and reduce physical activity. This study esplored physical activity levels, nutritional and sarcopenia risk, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in...
Introduction:
STEPs (Supporting cancer Treatment with Exercise Pathways) is a physical activity (PA) support programme for people who have, or have had, cancer. The aim of this study was to conduct a nominal group technique (NGT) to achieve consensus among key stakeholders regarding i) barriers to the integration of STEPs within usual cancer care in two Irish hospitals, and ii) solutions...
With the publication of the CHALLENGE Trial, in addition to the publication of multiple exercise guidelines from ACS, ACSM, ASCO, ESSA, and other international organizations, the question becomes: how do we broadly implement exercise for all people living with and beyond cancer. In this abstract we focus on the efforts of a large U.S. based health care system (UPMC) to implement exercise...
Purpose: This study examined the long-term effects of standard care lymphoedema treatment, delivered by cancer support centres in community-based settings, on quality of life and self-reported symptom severity among individuals with cancer-related lymphoedema.
Methods: A single-group, pre-post pragmatic study design was adopted. Survivors of cancer referred to community-based cancer...
Introduction
Cancer survivors experience physical and psychological effects from cancer treatments contributing to disability. These effects can be improved by exercise and/or cancer rehabilitation(CR). Guidelines recommend providers discuss exercise with patients and refer to appropriate programs; however, clinicians report barriers to referral and survivors are not connected to the required...
Background: Women with endometrial cancer experience substantial symptom burden during adjuvant pelvic radiation therapy (PRT), with cancer-related fatigue among the most debilitating. Fatigue is exacerbated by recent surgery, older age, obesity, and treatment-related side effects, making exercise challenging. This trial evaluates the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of personalized...
Background. Elevated and impaired cell-free DNA (cfDNA) clearance are associated with increased tumour burden in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Although exercise has anti-tumour effects, the mechanisms underlying these effects are unclear. In healthy adults, acute exercise induces biphasic increases in cfDNA, followed by reductions upon completion. We aimed to understand the cfDNA...
Background:The prospective association between physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in long-term cancer survivors (LTCS, ≥ 5 years post-diagnosis) is understudied, particularly across different cancer diagnoses. We assessed these associations among long-term survivors of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer within a large prospective cohort in Germany.
Methods:...
Introduction: Although physical activity (PA) is essential for overall health and well-being, existing PA guidelines are often complex and fail to effectively reach the general population. Further, adherence remains suboptimal, particularly for muscle-strengthening recommendations. To enhance public engagement, we aimed to distill key PA messages into a memorable slogan and design an...
Introduction: Oncological Exercise therapy (OET) benefits oncology patients, highlighting the need for locally available programs delivered by qualified staff. In Germany, such training is mainly provided on-site, involving time and travel costs. The German Cancer Aid-funded IMPLEMENT project developed and evaluated an online training for exercise- and physiotherapists in oncology. This...
Exercise leads to reduced symptoms, enhanced physical functioning, improved quality of life, enhanced treatment efficacy, and better overall survival in patients with solid tumors. One of the suggested mechanisms is the modulation of the immune function. During acute exercise, immune cells, and especially CD8+ T cells and NK-cells, are mobilized into the circulatory system. The redistribution...
Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) hyperactivation contributes to tumor progression and cancer-associated immunosuppression. Aerobic exercise training (AET) is known to reduce sympathetic overactivity; however, its role in modulating tumor-induced immunosuppression via β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) signaling remains poorly understood.
Objective:
To investigate how β2-AR signaling regulates...
Background/Purpose: Individuals with cancer often experience disrupted sleep, sedentary behavior, and reduced physical activity. This exploratory analysis examined the feasibility of continuous 24-hour monitoring using wrist-worn accelerometers and characterized movement behaviors during a 12-week supervised resistance training program in individuals with cancer. We additionally aimed to...
Introduction: Rural–urban differences in physical activity (PA) among individuals living with and beyond cancer (ILWC) are poorly understood. Using baseline data from the Canada-wide EXercise for Cancer to Enhance Living Well (EXCEL) study, we compared PA levels between rural and urban participants and with national benchmarks.
Methods: Baseline data from 1,485 participants (73%...
Background
Robotic-assisted colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery is increasingly adopted due to improved surgical precision and recovery profiles, yet postoperative complications remain common. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) provides objective measures of physiological reserve, but it is unclear which CPET-derived parameters are most clinically informative for risk stratification in...
Introduction: Although exercise is increasingly recognized as safe and beneficial for patients with bone metastases, clinicians often remain hesitant to recommend it. However, the reasons behind this reluctance are not fully understood. This study explored healthcare professionals’ attitudes, knowledge, and perceived barriers regarding exercise in patients with bone metastases.
Methods: An...
Background: A systematic review and meta-analysis found that patients with cancer are insulin resistant, which has been associated with poorer treatment tolerance and survival. Exercise may counteract these abnormalities, but mechanistic evidence in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) during first-line chemotherapy is limited.
Objectives: To characterize glucose homeostasis at baseline and...
Background: Physical exercise training can reduce breast cancer progression. It has been proposed that exercise may directly influence tumor transcriptional activity through antitumoral intercellular communication, mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their microRNA (miRNA)-associated cargo transiently released after repeated exercise bouts. Purpose: To investigate the effects...
The incidence of cancer in Kenya has risen significantly in the recent years to more than 44000 new cancer cases annually. [Globocan 2022]. However, there has been no corresponding improvement in infrastructure, human resources, diagnostics and treatments. The focus of current investments is on enabling access to surgery, chemo and radiotherapy with little attention to other interventions...
Abstract
Background
Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) typically show low levels of physical activity (PA) due to disease- and treatment-related effects.
Objective
To objectively assess changes in PA and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from HNC diagnosis up to two years post-treatment, and to identify demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors associated with PA and...
Cancer survivors often experience long-term treatment side effects that substantially diminish their functional capacity and quality of life (QoL). Among the wide range of symptoms reported, chronic fatigue and loss of physical function—particularly reduced cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility, and muscle strength—emerged as the most debilitating. These symptoms vary widely across...
Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is among the most prevalent and debilitating symptoms across the cancer continuum. Exercise-based rehabilitation is an effective evidence-based intervention to reduce CRF and improve functional outcomes. However, translating this evidence into sustainable clinical programs remains a challenge.
Purpose: To describe a cancer rehabilitation model that...
Background:
Exercise is a key component of supportive cancer care; however, access to community-based structured exercise remains limited. This pilot study examined the feasibility and psycho-emotional effects of a supervised 7-week outdoor group-based exercise on cancer patients.
Methods:
Twenty adult cancer patients (95% female; mean age 51.3 ± 9.5 years; BMI 23.9 ± 2.7 kg/m²; breast,...
Background: Cancer survivors are at increased risk of cognitive impairment that may persist after treatment and adversely affect quality of life. Oxidative stress is a proposed mechanism underlying cancer-related cognitive dysfunction. Dietary antioxidant quality has been linked to cognitive performance in the general population, but evidence among cancer survivors remains limited. This...
Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are leading causes of global mortality, with physical inactivity being a key modifiable risk factor. While previous studies relied on self-reported activity measures, meta-analyses incorporating objective accelerometer measurements remain limited. This study investigated dose-response associations between accelerometer-measured movement...
Abstract:
Best practice guidelines recommend that people living with cancer be referred for exercise and nutritional support early in their diagnosis. Yet only 15% access structured exercise programs, and within the Life Insurance industry the average delay is 15 months. To address this gap, we partnered with two leading Australian Life Insurers to deliver a collaborative cancer care...
Introduction: Exercise is a key factor in reducing cancer risk and improving care, with structured physical activity linked to reduced treatment-related toxicities, enhanced physical function, and better quality of life. Resistance training is specifically recommended to preserve or restore muscle mass and strength during chemotherapy-induced sarcopenia and functional decline; however, its...
Background: Postoperative bowel dysfunction—including increased bloating, fecal incontinence, and embarrassment—is highly prevalent among colorectal cancer survivors and substantially impairs quality of life. Although exercise has shown promise for improving bowel motility, pelvic floor function, and overall physical recovery, little is known about which types of exercise are effective...
INTRODUCTION:Patients with lung cancer often experience treatment-related physical deterioration, including reduced cardiorespiratory capacity, muscle strength, and functional performance, as well as unfavorable changes in body composition, negatively affecting quality of life.
OBJECTIVE:To analyze the effects of a supervised exercise program implemented in a community setting for patients...
Background: Breast tumors exhibit abnormal vasculature characterized by low perfusion, impaired oxygenation, and reduced drug delivery. Combined training (CT), in turn, may modulate the tumor microenvironment by enhancing vascularization, perfusion, and metabolic signaling. Objectives: To determine the effects of pre-treatment CT on (a) tumor blood-flow parameters - peak systolic velocity...
Background: Cancer and its treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine, and targeted therapies, often cause systemic effects including chronic inflammation, immune suppression, metabolic alterations, and gastrointestinal toxicity. These complications are increasingly linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis, which plays a central role in maintaining host homeostasis. Although...
Background: Exercise is a potent non-pharmacological treatment to reduce anxiety, depression, and overall psychological distress. However, evidence in oncology remains less clear, with inconsistent findings across cancer types, treatment status, and psychological disorders, partly attributable to a floor effect.
Purpose: To investigate the effects of exercise on anxiety, depression,...
Introduction: Exercise improves both quality and quantity of life for patients with cancer. We previously reported overall physical activity (PA) patterns in a cohort of patients with breast cancer, yet limited data exists on how patients’ structure exercise behavior from pre- to post-chemotherapy.
Methods: 580 female patients with stage I-IIIC breast cancer were recruited from community...
Background: Exercise is an important component of cancer care, yet physicians’ engagement in assessment, referral, and prescription varies widely. Understanding how physician characteristics influence these practices, and the barriers they report, is essential to improving exercise implementation in oncology.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among physicians from 21...
BACKGROUND: Exercise has emerged as a potent, non-pharmacological intervention to enhance immune function in patients with cancer. However, the effects of exercise are likely influenced by patients’ oncologic characteristics, such as cancer treatment, and intervention variables, such as exercise intensity, which can lead to heterogeneous outcomes. This scoping review aimed to identify...
Best practice cancer care supports exercise referrals for all cancer survivors, both during and after treatment. However, with the rapid rise in the number of cancer survivors, the current exercise workforce cannot provide this level of care. Further, although the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) calls for clinicians to include exercise referrals as standard practice in oncology...
INTRODUCTION: Limited number of cancer survivors meet the recommended physical activity guidelines, regardless of the clear benefits, due to mental and physical constraints of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Further, research is required to better understand the preferences and perceived barriers of cancer survivors and how different factors influence their participation in exercise...
The circadian system, essential for adapting to cyclic environmental changes, imposes temporal timeframe on physiological functions and plays a critical role in health maintenance and disease prevention. Building upon our prior work demonstrating time-of-day-dependent effects of exercise on metabolic activation, our laboratory is developing chronobiology-based strategies that leverage exercise...
BACKGROUND:
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major global health burden. Exercise suppresses tumor progression through mediators such as myokines, metabolites, and miRNAs, and several miRNAs are known to be upregulated in skeletal muscle following physiological stimuli. Although these exercise-responsive miRNAs can enter circulation and exert tumor-regulatory effects, the therapeutic...
Purpose: Cell culture models in exercise oncology enable the assessment of exercise effects on cancer cell tumorigenicity and the identification of physiological predictors. Our research group pioneered the application of 3D translational in vitro approaches to evaluate exercise effects in breast cancer survivors and to explore potential predictors of exercise-conditioned serum...
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, and the number of survivors continues to increase as five-year relative survival rates improve (93.6% in Korea). Beyond medical survival, contemporary cancer care emphasizes supporting patients in recognizing and mobilizing health-promoting resources throughout the entire treatment trajectory and into...
Background:
Exercise is one of the most evidence-based interventions in cancer care, shown to improve treatment tolerance, physical function, symptom burden and quality of life across the cancer continuum. Despite strong international guidelines, exercise remains inconsistently integrated into routine oncology care, with many services struggling to translate evidence into sustainable clinical...
Background: As evidence supporting exercise as a standard component of cancer care continues to strengthen, scalable and sustainable implementation models are urgently needed. Maple Tree Cancer Alliance (MTCA) has developed a comprehensive clinical-to-community exercise oncology framework with global reach, serving more than 20,000 patients across 100+ locations in the United States and 34...
Objectives/purpose
Intra-infusion exercise (i.e. exercise delivered during chemotherapy infusion) is a novel strategy to integrate exercise into cancer treatment. The EX-FUSION RCT evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of this approach. This qualitative study explored healthcare professionals (HCPs) experiences delivering the EX-FUSION intervention and their recommendations on future program...
Backgrounds
Physical activity is an established protective factor for several cancers, but whether its association with lung cancer differs by histological subtype and sex remains unclear. Clarifying these differences is essential for precision prevention.
Objective
To examine associations between physical activity and lung cancer risk across major histological...
Introduction: For training therapy in cancer patients, accurately defining exercise intensities and durations capable of inducing substantial immunological responses is essential (1). Moreover, dose–response relationships in patients remain difficult to establish because exercise modalities are often insufficiently prescribed or reported in existing studies (2). To address these gaps, this...
INTRODUCTION:Physical exercise has been shown to attenuate cancer treatment–related side effects and improve quality of life in people with cancer. Based on this evidence, the Exercise Oncology Unit (EOU) of the Spanish Cancer Association (AECC) was created to facilitate the integration of structured exercise programs into routine cancer care.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and...
Although substantial evidence underlines the benefits of physical activity (PA) and tailored exercise as a supportive strategy for cancer patients, exercise therapy is not yet part of standard oncology care. MOVE-ONKO aims to bridge this gap by implementing a multi-professional care pathway to promote needs-oriented exercise therapy for cancer patients in different oncological care settings....
Background:
Treatment-induced menopause is a common side effect of cancer therapy, often occurring abruptly and at a younger age than natural menopause. Symptoms such as fatigue, vasomotor changes, sexual dysfunction, and bone health concerns significantly impact quality of life, yet tailored support in oncology pathways is often lacking.
Innovation/Implementation:
The Fountain Centre...
BACKGROUND: We developed and tested a patient-caregiver yoga intervention for patients with thoracic cancers. Using a natural experimental design, we now seek to compare in-person versus remote delivery of the yoga intervention sessions on feasibility, acceptability and intervention outcomes.
METHODS: Secondary analyses of an RCT testing the efficacy of a 15-session yoga intervention on...
Background: Prostate cancer survivors (PCS) often experience challenges engaging in physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary time (SED) after treatment. The Multi-Process Action Control framework (M-PAC) posits that attitudes, self-regulation, and habit predict behavior. This study identified M-PAC-based profiles and examined how they relate to SED and quality of life (QoL).
Methods: A...
Background: Access to integrative oncology support including exercise and complementary medicine is limited despite strong evidence supporting their benefits for cancer-related symptoms and survivorship outcomes. This case report describes the work of Moving Beyond Cancer Collaborative (MBCC), a community-based nonprofit in Central Texas, that provides exercise and other integrative...
Obesity and associated metabolic dysfunction are increasingly recognized as major contributors to cancer risk across diverse populations. The National Cancer Institute’s Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk (MeDOC) Consortium brings together six transdisciplinary research teams to identify mechanisms linking metabolic perturbations to cancer development and to identify actionable strategies...
Background: Despite robust evidence of exercise oncology safety and efficacy, patients widely struggle to adopt and maintain an active lifestyle. Current implementation of exercise interventions is often not systematic, sustainable, accessible, or supported organizationally or legislatively. Crucially, the most vulnerable patients, facing the greatest access barriers, receive few offers. The...
Purpose
Psychological constructs have been shown to independently effect health outcomes and overall quality of life in the psycho-oncology literature. Whilst exercise can positively influence psychological constructs, studies in oncology populations often limit their measurement to negative psychological constructs (e.g. depression), with limited evidence exploring positive psychological...
Background: Modern oncology excels in targeting tumor biology yet often struggles to quantify the "non-molecular" impact of psychological states on disease progression and recovery. While George Engel’s biopsychosocial model challenges this reductionism since 50 years, the precise physiological mechanisms linking socio-emotional distress for example to the tumor microenvironment - and...
Physical activity (PA) is one of the most evidence-based supportive interventions in oncology, improving symptoms and in certain tumour entities even overall survival. Yet oncology day clinics lack a systematic approach to promoting it. Patients should be supported before, during and after therapy to integrate more PA into their daily lives. The "OnkoMoveNurse" concept offers oncology nurses a...
Background:There are calls for exercise to be integrated into routine cancer care. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a key role in promoting exercise. However, data on exercise during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy is lacking, and HCP’s views on exercise within this setting are unknown. This study investigated the perceptions and practices of HCPs regarding exercise for...
Background:
Lifestyle habits, including physical activity, nutrition, and emotional health, play a crucial role for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Understanding how patients perceive these habits during their oncologic journey can help guide more effective and patient-centered supportive care strategies.
Methods:
This cross-sectional observational study analyzed responses from an...
Purpose: To explore the perspectives and needs of cancer survivors and stakeholders on the development of a Combined Lifestyle Intervention (CLI) for cancer survivors, e.g., goals, target population, form, and content. In a CLI, various lifestyle components are included, such as physical activity, nutrition, energy balance, and sleep.
Methods: This qualitative study comprised ten focus...
Background: Higher physical activity (PA) levels are associated with improved upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer outcomes. One possible mechanism that may enable better optimisation of PA is its effects on the gut microbiota (GM), and tumour/oral microbiomes. We aimed to identify gaps in evidence on the relationships between PA and 1) microbiota in cancer, and 2) UGI cancer and related...
Introduction: Applying targeted measures to maintain physical activity and thereby function in older patients with cancer requires knowledge about activity level and influencing factors.
Study aim: To describe patient-reported physical activity in older patients with cancer before and after radiotherapy (RT) and explore potential associated factors.
Methods: A...
INTRODUCTION
Patients with pancreatic cancer often experience fatigue, sarcopenia, and reduced physical function, which can impair daily activities and quality of life. Targeted physical activity interventions, including both aerobic and resistance exercises, are essential to maintain muscle mass, improve functional capacity, and support treatment outcomes. The EU-Project RELEVIUM integrates...
Background
Patients with lung cancer frequently experience reduced physical capacity, symptom burden, and treatment-related functional decline across the disease trajectory. Although physical activity is recommended in national cancer care pathways, disease-specific guidance on structured exercise interventions for patients with lung cancer has been limited. This clinical guideline was...
Purpose: Older adults with cancer are underrepresented in clinical trials and are predominantly inactive, particularly during treatment. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is an effective method to repeatedly capture real-world measures and dynamic psychological processes, such as motivation. This study aimed to observe motivational predictors of physical activity among older patients with...
Background: Exercise programs benefit lung cancer patients undergoing surgery but are rarely incorporated into clinical practice. Predictors of adherence to a perioperative remotely delivered, pragmatic, and personalized exercise intervention in lung cancer patients were assessed.
Methods: Patients randomized to the exercise group in the Precision Exercise Prescription (PEP) Study were...
Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy, and many patients are unable to undergo curative surgery due to frailty. Multimodal prehabilitation programs, incorporating exercise, nutritional support, and psychological optimization, improve functional readiness, but their biological impact on the PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME) remains largely...
Background: The Comprehensive Oncology Rehabilitation and Exercise (CORE) pilot trial aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of a clinical workflow algorithm that integrated exercise and rehabilitation services from breast cancer diagnosis throughout the first 24 weeks of care. Here, we investigated the preliminary effectiveness of the CORE Algorithm compared with standard of care...
Background:
Paclitaxel (PTX) frequently causes dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), notably chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and neutropenia, leading to reduced relative dose intensity (RDI). Body-surface-area dosing overlooks inter-individual variation in pharmacokinetics (PK), body composition, and physical activity (PA), potentially resulting in under- or overdosing, increased DLT...
Introduction:
Metabolic flexibility is a key determinant of physiological resilience and predictor of complications following radical cystectomy. We hypothesize that the change in the metabolomic profile of cystectomy patients throughout the perioperative period is associated with metabolic flexibility, as determined by preoperative carbohydrate oxidation (CHOox) (g/min)....
Background
With advances in cancer treatments, more patients live longer with advanced stages of the disease, often facing complex symptom burdens and functional decline. Physiotherapy has emerged as a critical component of oncology care, supporting symptom relief, autonomy, and quality of life. Yet, its role in advanced cancer care remains under-recognised and inconsistently...
Background: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving immunotherapy typically present low levels of physical activity and high sedentary behavior, negatively affecting health outcomes and quality of life. Conventional exercise programs often show poor long-term adherence, highlighting the need for community-based and patient-centered models that align with individual...
INTRODUCTION: Cancer remains a significant burden. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment improving survival, recurrences are common. Observational studies suggest that physical activity (PA) is associated with lower cancer recurrence, but the linking biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of two acute running sessions (5 km and 10 km) on the...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) and its treatment are frequently associated with autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation, characterized by alterations in heart rate variability (HRV) and insufficient levels of physical activity (PA). This cross-sectional, single-center observational study (Phase 1) evaluated patients with Stage III–IV CRC from the Abdominal Surgery Service of Erasto Gaertner...
Background: Carbohydrate restriction and time-restricted feeding (TRF) have independently shown beneficial effects on metabolic health, including improvements in insulin sensitivity, body composition, and lipid metabolism. However, the combined effects of these dietary interventions with structured exercise on metabolic parameters and lipid profiles remain uncertain. This study investigated...
Background: Exercise exerts antitumor effects through acute systemic responses that modulate tumor biology. In particular, high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) induces transient changes in circulating factors that may influence cancer cell behavior. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms, subtype specificity, and temporal dependence remain incompletely understood.
Methods: Physically...
Background: Adults living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) commonly engage in low physical activity (PA), high sedentary behaviour (SED), and insufficient sleep, contributing to increased symptom burden. Although these movement behaviours interact within the 24-hour continuum, most survivorship interventions target them individually. The effectiveness of theory-based interventions designed to...
Background: Women undergoing breast cancer surgery often experience declines in physical function and quality of life. Preoperative exercise may mitigate these effects, but implementation is complicated by the short time frames between diagnosis and surgery. The feasibility of a remotely supervised, multi-phasic program in this context is uncertain.
Methods: We conducted a feasibility study...
INTRODUCTION:
Blood flow (BF) during exercise in non-cancerous tissues in patients may among other things play a role in the development of metastasis, but remains poorly understood. Therefore, the main aim of the present investigation was to determine tissue BF responses in multiple organs during exercise.
METHODS:
Tissue blood flow responses during exercise were analyzed in patients with...
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) affects the majority of patients during or after cancer treatment and can persist long after treatment completion. Although exercise is the most effective non-pharmacological strategy to reduce CRF, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This review synthesizes evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on biological, behavioural,psychological, social,...
Background: Rural cancer survivors are less likely to meet physical activity (PA) recommendations than urban CS, contributing to differences in cancer survivorship. We used a community-engaged approach to adapt and evaluate an evidence-based intervention to increase PA and reduce psychosocial distress in rural breast cancer survivors (BCS).
Methods: Rural BCS (N=38) were interviewed to...
Purpose: Resistance exercise provides independent health benefits for breast cancer survivors, yet just 10.3% of Black survivors meet recommended guidelines (≥2 sessions/week). Theory-driven and culturally adapted narratives may enhance intervention uptake. This study aimed to refine six narratives featuring a Black breast cancer main character navigating cultural and cancer-related...
BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced thoracic cancers undergoing standard radiotherapy (RT) have a high risk of experiencing performance declines and poor quality of life (QOL). Exercise programs may improve objective and subjective performance; yet adherence remains poor. Including family caregivers as active intervention participants may improve adherence and thus efficacy. Thus, this clinical...
Purpose: The benefits of physical activity for patients undergoing cancer treatment are well established. However, experiences of physical activity and desired supports among those with melanoma receiving immunotherapy are not well understood. This study explored: a) the types and levels of physical activity engaged in during immunotherapy; b) the factors influencing physical activity...
Category: Behavioral Science/Implementation
Background: Despite strong evidence for exercise in cancer care, routine implementation remains a challenge. Closing the research-to-practice gap requires a multifaceted approach across all levels of the healthcare system. One key priority is to ensure exercise services are affordable and sustainable, which need to be supported by...
Background: Older adults with cancer and reduced functional capacity face barriers to maintaining physical activity during treatment. This study describes the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 12-week telehealth-based exercise program in adults ≥65 years with cancer and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scores <70, indicating functional vulnerability.
Methods: We...
Background: With colorectal cancer ranking third globally and survival rates increasing, managing long-term complications is crucial. Most patients who undergo Patients undergoing Low Anterior Resection (LAR) often suffer from symptoms such as constipation, fecal incontinence, and urgency, which significantly compromise their quality of life. Although effective exercise interventions exist,...
Background:
Mind-body interventions such as yoga are increasingly recognized as integral components of supportive cancer care. Yoga, combining strengthening mindful movements, breathing, and relaxation techniques, has demonstrated positive effects on common cancer side effects such as cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and emotional distress. However, heterogeneity of patient needs, physical...
Background: A sedentary lifestyle increases prostate cancer (PCa) risk and contributes to cardiometabolic disease. Nordic Walking (NW) is a simple, accessible form of physical activity that may improve population health. We investigated adherence-dependent longitudinal effects of supervised NW on clinical, functional, and cardiometabolic outcomes in sedentary men undergoing PCa...
Background: Evidence shows that obesity and physical inactivity increase breast cancer (BC) risk among postmenopausal women and may also influence prognosis. Evidence from well-designed clinical trials remain insufficient. This study helps fill this gap by evaluating an intervention combining diet and exercise.
Objectives: The primary aim is to assess the effect of the intervention on cancer...
Pelvic floor symptoms following robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) can reduce participation in meaningful activities, including exercise. Although pelvic floor physical therapy is becoming a standard intervention for post-prostatectomy patients with symptoms like stress urinary incontinence (SUI), there is limited guidance to safely progress patients into higher-impact...
Purpose: To present a cross-sectional investigation analyzing the associations of whole-body phase angle (PhA) with sleep quality, fatigue, and global health in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
Methods: Sixty-four newly diagnosed breast cancer patients waiting for their first chemotherapy cycle were enrolled in this investigation [mean age, 52.0±9.5 years; body mass index (BMI),...
Background
Most exercise interventions for men with prostate cancer utilise resistance and aerobic exercise, though the optimal combination of each for cardiometabolic health and quality of life (QOL) outcomes is unclear.
Objective
The objective of this study was to compare an aerobic-emphasised (AE) with a resistance-emphasised (RE) exercise intervention in men with prostate...
Introduction: Reporting exercise compliance within intervention trials is critical to establish realistic expectations and inform best practices for cancer survivors. This secondary analysis describes compliance to a virtually supervised, home-based 16-week aerobic and resistance exercise intervention among Latina/Hispanic breast cancer survivors (LHBCS).
Methods: This analysis includes 26...
Purpose: To investigate the validity of the modified Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) and the Godin-Shephard leisure-time physical activity (GSLTPAQ) against accelerometry for assessing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and adherence to MVPA guidelines in men with advanced prostate cancer (PCa).
Methods: Men with advanced PCa were asked to complete the...
Background: Increasing physical activity levels during chemotherapy is crucial for health maintenance; however, adherence is difficult. We piloted a randomized controlled exercise intervention during chemotherapy for breast cancer. This abstract reports on recruitment, intervention adherence, and attrition.
Methods: The PROTECT Trial was a pilot randomized control trial studying...
Background
Cancer prehabilitation which aims to optimize physical fitness before treatment can enhance patient resilience. With increasing digitalization in healthcare, digital cancer prehabilitation has emerged as a promising approach to overcome accessibility and implementation barriers of traditional prehabilitation programs. However, the concept remains inconsistently defined across the...
Background: People living with and beyond cancer experience multiple health challenges. Although physical activity (PA) reduces the most common side effects and successfully improves quality of life, PA levels among this population remain low due to limited support and low self-efficacy. Many survivors seek PA-related information through digital health resources, such as websites, documents,...
Background: Breast cancer survivors (BCS) undergoing endocrine therapy often experience pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Although exercise has been shown to reduce these effects, there is still limited evidence on whether its benefits vary according to endocrine therapy type. Purpose: To analyze the effects of 24 weeks of Mat Pilates on pain severity, pain interference, anxiety, and...
Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments for breast cancer. Cardiotoxicity can occur as a side effect of some of its components. On the other hand, regular physical exercise can improve overall and cardiovascular health of cancer patients. However, regarding cardiovascular health, most healthcare professionals still recommend exercises that predominantly involve aerobic metabolism....
Background: Patients with localized breast cancer receiving (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy often experience sleep disturbances, especially insomnia, which significantly impacts quality of life. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week exercise program on insomnia, with secondary outcomes on sleep quality, anxiety/depression, fatigue, pain, and exercise...
Background: Evidence from observational studies and clinical trials suggests that exercise may reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, data are limited among people with metastatic disease, who have poorer prognoses and higher mental health burden.
Methods: The INTERVAL-GAP4 study is a phase III 2-year randomized controlled trial testing the effect of high-intensity resistance and...
Introduction: The potential for long-term exercise to affect the metabolome in healthy individuals is well established. Given the metabolic underpinnings of prostate cancer, it is important to investigate whether long-term exercise similarly alters the metabolome in disease-affected men. This study is among the first to characterize metabolic changes in individuals with prostate cancer,...
Despite its clinical effectiveness, radiation therapy (RT) is associated with multiple adverse effects that can impair functional capacity and overall recovery in individuals undergoing breast cancer (BC) treatment. Exercise has emerged as an evidence-based adjunctive approach to mitigate treatment-related toxicity and enhance musculoskeletal performance. This study aimed to examine the...
Background: Understanding the motivational effects of exercise during or after intravesical therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) may help patients to initiate and sustain exercise behavior. We report the effects of exercise on motivational outcomes, perceived benefits and harms, and perceived barriers to exercise during or after NMIBC intravesical therapy. Methods: NMIBC...
Introduction: Optimizing exercise training through periodization is important for improving strength and aerobic performance (Boggenpoel, Nel, & Hanekom, 2018; Soares et al., 2022). In this context, periodized exercise training is also considered an effective method for improving psychosocial parameters such as health-related quality of life. However, there are no studies in the field of...
Background: Gynecologic cancer (GC) survivors frequently experience declines in quality of life (QoL), physical function, and body composition following treatment. Exercise has emerged as a key survivorship strategy. However, previous meta-analyses in this population have shown inconsistent findings and limited coverage of functional and anthropometric outcomes. This systematic review and...
Background: About one-third of cancer patients participate in a unique three-week rehabilitation program after tumor treatment in Germany. Given the short duration, therapy must be highly efficient, yet exercise prescription is often not individualized.
Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, we compared two exercise arms. The individualized training arm (IT) trained at 50% of...
Background: Women breast cancer survivors (WBCS) frequently present long-term impairments in cardiorespiratory fitness and functional capacity, which may negatively affect health outcomes and quality of life. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) allows an integrative assessment of cardiovascular and metabolic function, while functional tests provide clinically meaningful indicators of...
Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in South Africa with an incidence rate of 31.4 per 100,000 women, with 57.1% of cases reported at advanced stages (1)(2). Since 2009, numerous international studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise in managing upper-arm lymphedema(3)(4)(5)(6). The executive committee of lymphology 2016 consensus document stated the need for a...
Background
Global prostate cancer cases are projected to double to 2.9 million annually by 2040. While androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a cornerstone of treatment, it induces rapid and severe adverse effects, including loss of lean mass and increased fat mass. Intervening during the initial phase of ADT is critical, yet a significant evidence gap persists regarding effective, scalable...
Background: It is widely recognized that exercise reduces the risk of cancer and disease recurrence. Yet the mechanisms behind these benefits remain to be elucidated. We previously showed that voluntary wheel running in tumor-bearing mice reduced tumor incidence and growth by more than 60% across different tumor models. Moreover, this effect was mediated via exercise-associated increases in...
Background
One in five patients with cancer in the Netherlands has a rare cancer, affecting approximately 20.000 new people per year. However, there is a lack of research on supportive cancer care in this population, resulting in a lack of knowledge on quality of life optimalization.
It is unclear if the beneficial effects of exercise in patients with common cancers can be generalized...
Purpose The recent surge in live-remote exercise programs may facilitate greater access to exercise interventions for cancer survivors. However, concerns have been raised about altered or weakened interpersonal dynamics among participants and between participants and exercise professionals. This could affect perceived benefits and subsequent opportunity for survivors to play an active role...
Introduction: Exercise in patients undergoing anticancer treatments is recognized for attenuating side effects, improving symptoms, and enhancing quality of life (QoL). However, its implementation in real-world settings remains limited. This study assessed the feasibility and the impact of a structured EX program in patients receiving anticancer therapies on physical fitness and QoL.
Methods:...
Background:
Depression and anxiety are common among women with cancer and negatively affect treatment, recovery, and quality of life. Accessible, home-based interventions are needed to address these symptoms.
Purpose:
To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 6-week online yoga program delivered in either group or individual format for women with breast or...
Background: Cancer cachexia is a debilitating syndrome in advanced cancer, characterized by reduced physical function, high symptom burden, poor quality of life (QOL), and shortened survival. Despite the prevalence of cancer cachexia, supportive care options remain limited. Exercise is recommended in oncology, yet few trials have specifically targeted patients with advanced cancer and...
Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women worldwide and evidence indicates that the autonomic nervous system modulates tumor biology and the tumor microenvironment. Heart rate variability (HRV), a non-invasive marker of autonomic balance, is influenced by age, menopausal status, body composition, and physical fitness. Although reduced HRV has been associated with...
Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer (PC) improves survival but leads to negative changes in body composition, muscular strength, and physical fitness that compromises quality of life (QOL) and places men at risk of secondary commorbidities.
Methods: Twenty-seven medically underserved men (≥75 years of age, and/or Black,...
Background: Exercise during cancer treatment can reduce symptom burden over time, but the immediate effects of single exercise sessions are unclear. This study examined immediate changes in treatment-related side effects ─ fatigue, nausea, dizziness, pain, and mood ─ following exercise in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).
Methods: In this study,...
Purpose: Breast cancer survivors undergoing hormonal therapy with aromatase inhibitors face a significantly increased risk of developing musculoskeletal pain, leading to treatment discontinuation, greater risk of unemployment and other negative outcomes on their quality of life. While physical activity is a known strategy for symptom management, the comparative efficacy of different...
Cancer is affecting more and more people around the world. Among the different types of cancer, breast cancer is the one with the highest incidence worldwide, especially over 50 years. According to the National Cancer Institute (INCA), the estimated number of new cases in Brazil from 2023 to 2025 is 73,610 cases. One of the most important causes in the literature for the emergence of breast...
Background: Physical activity is essential for improving outcomes and managing side effects in cancer patients. App-based exercise interventions may enhance access to exercise therapy. To provide precise recommendations, accurate assessment of physical function and limitations is crucial. This feasibility study investigated a digitally assisted exercise program and the role of comprehensive...
Introduction
Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer for men in NZ. It’s treatment often involves androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiation therapy (RT) which can cause some debilitating side effects which can greatly impact patients physical functioning and quality of life for years post treatment completion.
Exercise has consistently been seen to significantly help alleviate...
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a prevalent and debilitating symptom experienced by breast cancer survivors, significantly impairing quality of life (QoL). CRF treatment requires a comprehensive approach due to its multifactorial nature. Exercise is an effective treatment for CRF, but it is unclear how socioeconomic status (SES) influences survivors’ participation and retention in exercise...
Background: Oncological patients experience numerous side effects resulting from disease and treatment. Although exercise is recommended, many side effects and patients’ concerns hamper its regular implementation. Especially patients with reduced physical function are often not able to exercise with the necessary intensity to increase muscle mass. An innovative training approach uses lower...
Background: Exercise interventions are consistently evidenced as effective supportive therapy measures in oncology. Meta-analyses and clincial guidelies demonstrate beneficial effects in quality of life, physical function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and improvements in treatment-related adverse effects through resistance and aerobic training. However, individual studies report substantial...
DIEP flap reconstruction involves harvesting abdominal skin, adipose tissue, and perforating blood vessels to reconstruct one or both breasts following mastectomy. The procedure requires extensive abdominal wall dissection, affecting trunk muscle function, shoulder mobility, and posture, often leading to difficulty standing upright and shoulder impingement. Despite the complexity and duration...
Background: Exercise is an effective measure for mitigating treatment-related side effects and improving physical functioning in cancer patients (Campbell et al., 2019), but not all patients benefit equally from exercise. Most research in exercise oncology has not sufficiently emphasized this inter-individual variability or explored the factors that may influence it. Goal of this study is to...
Background & Aim: Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is a chronic sequel affecting the psychosocial aspects of life in breast cancer survivors. Self-management in breast cancer requires active participation by the survivor in recuperation and rehabilitation, thus minimising treatment consequences and promoting health and well-being. Although awareness of BCRL is constantly monitored for...
Background:
Major liver resections are associated with high postoperative complication rates, reported in up to 43% of cases. Prehabilitation programs that improve preoperative aerobic fitness enhance postoperative outcomes, yet the metabolic demands during recovery remain unclear. Insight into postoperative energy expenditure relative to preoperative metabolism and aerobic capacity is...
Background:
The Neo-ACT trial is an ongoing, pragmatic RCT evaluating whether structured, home-based exercise during neoadjuvant chemotherapy can improve treatment efficacy in patients with breast cancer. The enrolment target is 712 evaluable participants; as of December 2025, 339 participants have been randomized. The intervention consists of 120 minutes of weekly exercise combining...
Purpose: Exercise is an evidence-based, effective therapy for breast cancer survivors, relieving treatment side effects (e.g., fatigue, depression), improving quality of life, and possibly extending survival. Geographical barriers create disparities in access to cancer exercise programs. For many breast cancer survivors, accessing an in-person exercise program is a logistical challenge due...
Background
Black Prostate Cancer survivors (PCa) undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are at higher risk of body composition alterations, such as sarcopenia, which translate to poorer overall survival when compared to non-black PCa. Although the prognostic relevance of sarcopenia has been established, this outcome is understudied among Black PCa on ADT. Therefore, the aim of this...
Background. Chemotherapy entails some side effects that may hinder functional performance of women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC), which may result in low exercise levels. Although evidence consistently show favorable effects of exercise on BC, more information on recruitment and adherence rates in the neoadjuvant phase is needed.
Purpose. We describe real-world numbers for the...
Breast cancer treatment frequently leads to postoperative arm morbidity, including shoulder dysfunction, pain, reduced range of motion, seroma, and lymphedema. Despite this burden, many women at highest risk do not receive timely rehabilitation, resulting in preventable functional decline. To address this critical gap, we developed the Arm Morbidity following Breast Cancer Treatment (ARM-BCT)...
Background:
Breast cancer survivors (BCS) often experience impaired quality of life (QoL) due to treatment-related side effects, sedentary behaviour and suboptimal diet. The Movement and Health Beyond Care (MoviS) trial (NCT04818359) investigates lifestyle interventions combining psychological counselling, aerobic exercise and Mediterranean diet (MD).
Methods:
A total of 139 sedentary...
Background
Up to 95% of women undergoing adjuvant therapy for breast cancer experience cancer-related fatigue (CRF), which may persist beyond treatment and substantially impair quality of life. CRF is characterized by persistent fatigue that is disproportionate to activity level and not relieved by rest. Resistance training has shown beneficial effects on CRF; however, adherence during active...
Background
One in three breast cancer survivors develops cognitive complaints after chemotherapy. Physical exercise is a promising non-pharmacological treatment option for these complaints. The Physical Activity and Memory (PAM) study showed that physical exercise positively affects self-reported cognition. To get insight into underlying mechanisms, the role of biological markers needs to be...
Purpose
Blood-flow restricted resistance training (BFR-T), which uses low loads, may reduce mechanical stress and support faster muscle recovery compared with heavy-load training. Delivered at home, it may also improve exercise accessibility for cancer survivors, yet limited research has explored their experiences. This study aimed to qualitatively examine participants’ perspectives of a...
Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide, with continuously improving survival rates. Increasing evidence supports the role of physical activity (PA) in reducing the risk of recurrence and mitigating modifiable risk factors such as obesity and sedentary behavior. However, promoting PA remains challenging, particularly in patients with comorbidities....
Background: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the short-term effects of a phase-tailored, home-based exercise program for women with stage I–III breast cancer. The aim was to evaluate whether the intervention improves metabolic biomarkers and postoperative shoulder function (strength and range of motion, ROM) during the first 6 months after surgery.
Methods: In this...
BACKGROUND: Older adults with cancer are up to 2.5 times more likely to have functional decline and 4 times more likely to be frail compared to older adults without a cancer history or cancer survivors. Exercise is one of the most effective and evidence-based strategies to improve several functional and psychological outcomes and demonstrates elevated benefits on disease-free and overall...
Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the second leading cause for increased morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. With ongoing advances in surgical and adjuvant cancer therapies, an increasing number of survivors are living longer and require targeted support to manage long-term cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods: This secondary subgroup analysis includes participants who...
Background
Colon cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer worldwide. Its diagnosis and treatment impose substantial physical and psychological stress, frequently leading to anxiety and depression rates that exceed those observed in the general population. These conditions negatively affect postoperative outcomes and quality of life, with effects that may persist during and after...
Background: Postoperative shoulder dysfunction and discomfort are common after mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction and may delay functional recovery and reduce quality of life. This study evaluated the effects of an early structured exercise program on shoulder functional recovery, discomfort, and safety in women undergoing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.
Methods: Sixty...
Background: Patients with gastric cancer experience progressive muscle loss after surgery. Postoperative sarcopenia has been associated with increased mortality and complications; however, the effects of exercise on body composition after gastrectomy remain unclear.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of an early postoperative exercise program on CT-measured skeletal muscle area in patients...
Objective: This study investigated the effectiveness of exercise prehabilitation on functional capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and body composition in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients initially proposed for definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT).
Methods: In this randomized controlled trial (NCT05418842), patients were allocated to an exercise prehabilitation program...
Background: Perioperative treatment is the standard of care for resectable gastroesophageal cancer; however, physical deterioration during neoadjuvant treatment is common and may ultimately preclude tumor surgery. Here, we compared exercise training with control on the likelihood of not undergoing tumor surgery following neoadjuvant treatment.
Methods: In this parallel-group,...
Background
Low physical performance is associated with increased postoperative morbidity, mortality, and cardiopulmonary complications. Physical activity can reduce therapy-related side effects and have a positive impact on disease progression. Despite guideline recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, many patients fail to meet these targets.
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Approximately 50-75% of the patients with colorectal cancer and liver metastases (mCRC) who undergo surgery with curative intent, experience disease recurrence within two years1. Repeated rounds of surgery and chemotherapy result in severe physical deconditioning. Exercise has been shown to improve disease-free survival in colorectal cancer, and early post-operative aerobic exercise is...
Background: Prehabilitation aims to improve patients’ resilience to surgery and enhance postoperative recovery. Understanding rationales for prehabilitation content may identify opportunities for program optimization. This systematic review provides an overview of rationales, intervention, and outcomes used in prehabilitation studies in oncological populations.
Methods: We searched...
Background: Time-to-surgery is used as a quality indicator within lung cancer care. Current maximum allowed time frames in the Dutch guideline prove to act as a barrier for implementation of preoperative patient optimization such as prehabilitation.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the definition of treatment interval until lung cancer surgery, and examine the relation between its...
Introduction: Active Together is a prehabilitation and rehabilitation service in South Yorkshire UK providing multi-modal support to people receiving curative cancer treatment. Integrated into local cancer pathways, the service provides exercise, dietetic and psychological support, delivered by clinicians and exercise professionals and tailored to each patient's individual needs. Since its...
Purpose
Complex and demanding neoadjuvant treatment regimens lead to reduced performance in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), which can increase perioperative morbidity and prolong postoperative recovery. Combining multimodal prehabilitation with chemo- and immunotherapy may provide an opportunity to rapidly initiate cancer-directed therapy while improving functional status in...
PurposeIn prehabilitation, patients who often have little experience with exercise are challenged to achieve high levels of exercise adherence in a short timeframe. To translate RCT findings into standard care and understand factors influencing feasibility and efficacy, detailed reporting of exercise adherence is important. This may also help tailor exercise to individual patient needs. We...
