Is exercise the new cure for cancer?

 Including exercise within cancer patients’ treatment reduces the risk of cancer mortality by 28-44%, according to a new comprehensive review led by Associate Professor Prue Cormie, Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Associate Professor at the Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Health and Ageing.

Involving tens of thousands of individual patients whose exercise behaviour was assessed following the diagnosis of any type of cancer, the review is the most extensive examination of research to date and will lead to the development of new treatment approaches and therapies.

The review found that patients who exercise regularly following a cancer diagnosis had a reduced risk of cancer-specific mortality (28%–44%), a lower risk of cancer recurrence (21%–35%), and a decreased risk of all-cause mortality (25%–48%). These patients also experienced less adverse side effects such as fatigue, functional decline and psychological distress.

In light of these findings, Associate Professor Cormie called on the government, health insurers and treatment facilities to increase funding for exercise facilities and services to ensure all cancer patients have access to cancer exercise treatment facilities in hospitals and the community.

“Cancer effects 1 in 2 Australians by the age of 85, and takes the lives of over 47,753 people in Australia every year,” said Professor Cormie.

“Exercise medicine can not only significantly reduce the mortality profile of cancer patients, but it can also dramatically improve their quality of life. We’re incredibly pleased to be able to demonstrate that exercise treatment also reduces the adverse side effects of treatment, which are a huge burden to patients’ daily life.

Professor Cormie believes the research will help drive strategies to further strengthen evidence-based policy and practice beyond the general exercise guidelines currently available.

“It’s a simple fix – by having qualified exercise specialists and dedicated exercise programs available for cancer patients in the community and hospital, we can reduce the impact a diagnosis has on the health and wellbeing of those affected by cancer,  improve outcomes for patients, and potentially reduce health system expenditure,” concluded Professor Cormie.