Three studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the largest cancer conference, add to the significant positive impact that physical activity and exercise can have on the quality of life of cancer patients.
More and more research data is coming to overturn the medical recommendations given to patients to rest and avoid physical fatigue. “You’re sick, relax and rest,” as leading oncologist Dr. Melissa Hudson said at the conference in Chicago, is now being replaced by “start exercising, even gradually,” such as 30 minutes of walking and yoga exercises.
Anti-inflammatory yoga
In the first study, researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center looked for yoga’s potential effect on inflammation, as increased levels of the inflammatory response are implicated in carcinogenesis and cancer metastasis. The research involved 500 cancer patients from the US who had received treatment between two months and five years prior to the study, who were randomized to a yoga group and a health education group for one month, twice a week for 75 minutes the session/lesson.
Results from a series of blood tests showed that participants in the yoga group had significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory markers. As the research team stated: “Physicians should consider prescribing yoga for survivors who experience high levels of inflammation, a condition that may lead to increased chronic toxicity and a greater risk of progression, recurrence, and new cancer.”
A second study, again by a team at the University of Rochester Medical Center, following the same experimental procedure in 173 patients aged 60 and over found that yoga was more effective in relieving fatigue and maintaining quality of life.
Lower risk of death
The third study, led by Dr. Jurema Telles de Oliveira Lima from the Instituto de Medicina Integral in Brazil, concluded from data on the physical activity levels of more than 2,600 cancer patients in Brazil that the most active, say those who walked at least 30 minutes five days a week, they had almost a fifth lower risk of death.
In contrast, a sedentary lifestyle was associated with greater mortality; after 180 days, 74% of patients had died while 90% of the physically active were alive.
The lead researcher pointed out that it doesn’t take effort but any activity outside of a sedentary lifestyle, even small tasks such as household chores or walking to the supermarket, could make a difference, she said. Accordingly, people from the family and friendly environment should also be informed that they do not need to be overprotective – to the point of not letting the patient do anything – and to let him do things on his own, which will also strengthen the mental his mood.
