Chemotherapy: better tolerated thanks to exercise

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MunichNausea, extreme exhaustion, pain - chemotherapy is an enormous burden on the body. Not only does it attack the tumor, it also damages healthy cells and is often associated with serious side effects. Moderate physical activity can apparently relieve the symptoms significantly.

It has long been known that women with breast cancer benefit from exercise: physical activity not only increases the quality of life, it also reduces the likelihood that the cancer will return.

Which training is optimal?

In a study with 20 breast cancer patients, Neil Aaronson and colleagues from the Dutch Cancer Institute found that the patients benefit from exercise even during chemotherapy.

They divided the women into three groups: The first regularly completed moderately intensive endurance and strength training. The second group was asked to do gentle cardio training at home. The third group did not receive any physical instruction.

Less side effects

The result: women who exercised specifically suffered less or less from the side effects of chemotherapy. They did not develop fatigue as often, a state of total exhaustion that is often associated with chemotherapy. In addition, they suffered less nausea and pain as part of their chemotherapy than patients who did not complete an exercise program. Training under supervision was much more effective than training on your own.

Treatment according to plan

The milder side effects also had a direct impact on the drug treatment: Since the women who played sports tolerated the anti-cancer cocktail better, they were largely able to complete the therapy as planned. Only in twelve percent of them did the drug therapy have to be adjusted to a more tolerable level. Of the women who were not asked to exercise in addition to chemotherapy, it was at least 34 percent.

Little helps either

“In the past, patients receiving chemotherapy were advised to take it easy. In fact, it's better to stay as active as possible, ”says Aaronson, head of the study. The studies showed that even very light training had a positive effect. "This is good news for those who find it difficult to get up to move." (Cf)

Source: Neil K. Aaronso: Effect of Low-Intensity Physical Activity and Moderate- to High-Intensity Physical Exercise During Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Physical Fitness, Fatigue, and Chemotherapy Completion Rates: Results of the PACES Randomized Clinical Trial, JCO published online on April 27, 2015; DOI: 10.1200 / JCO.2014.59.1081.

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