There is evidence that exercise , such as low intensity aerobics walking , Tai Chi , or cycling , results in an overall decrease in fatigue levels over the course of cancer treatment .
Additionally , there is evidence that regular physical activity or exercise can decrease emotional stress , blood pressure , the duration of neutropenia , thrombocytopenia , and pain .
Exercise also has been shown to increase quality of life and improve the maximal oxygen uptake during exertion , sleep patterns , and cognition .
Disease and cancer treatment-related side effects such as decreased energy level , muscle weakness , and declines in functional status and body mass have been well documented .
However , the majority of studies of exercise and cancer have been conducted with women with early stage breast cancer , limiting the generalizability of these studies to other cancer population s. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide a synthesis of the extant research evidence about th e benefits of exercise related to cancer recovery
Research and commentary: Change in exercise tolerance, activity and sleep patterns, and quality of life in patients with cancer participating in a structured exercise program.
PURPOSE / OBJECTIVES To investigate the feasibility of an exercise program patterned after a phase II cardiac rehabilitation program to improve selected physiologic and psychological parameters of health in patients with cancer . DESIGN Prospect i ve , repeated measures study . SETTING Two major military medical centers in the southwestern United States . SAMPLE 62 patients diagnosed with cancer within the previous two years . Ages ranged from 24 - 83 ( meanX = 59 ) . Half of the participants were male and half were female . Minorities made up 29 % of the sample . Participants had a wide range of cancer diagnoses and all stages of cancer . Fifteen subjects were undergoing treatment when they enrolled in the study . More than half of the subjects exercised prior to their cancer diagnoses , but fewer than half were able to resume an exercise routine following their cancer diagnoses . METHODS Subjects met two days each week for 12 weeks for exercise and education . MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Exercise tolerance as measured with a grade d exercise test , activity and sleep patterns as measured with a wrist actigraph , and quality of life ( QOL ) as measured with the Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System-Short Form . FINDINGS Significant improvements were observed over time in exercise tolerance , selected activity and sleep patterns , and QOL among the 46 ( 74 % ) subjects who completed the program . CONCLUSIONS Patients with various types and stages of cancer can safely exercise using a cardiac rehabilitation model and can realize significant improvements in exercise tolerance , selected activity and sleep patterns , and QOL . IMPLICATION S FOR NURSING Most people are aware that regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle . After cancer diagnosis and treatment , patients experience uncertainty regarding how to resume exercise or how to begin an exercise program as part of their rehabilitation . Participation in a structured exercise program can provide patients with a safe environment within which to exercise at an intensity appropriate to their individual needs
There is evidence that exercise , such as low intensity aerobics walking , Tai Chi , or cycling , results in an overall decrease in fatigue levels over the course of cancer treatment .
Additionally , there is evidence that regular physical activity or exercise can decrease emotional stress , blood pressure , the duration of neutropenia , thrombocytopenia , and pain .
Exercise also has been shown to increase quality of life and improve the maximal oxygen uptake during exertion , sleep patterns , and cognition .
Disease and cancer treatment-related side effects such as decreased energy level , muscle weakness , and declines in functional status and body mass have been well documented .
However , the majority of studies of exercise and cancer have been conducted with women with early stage breast cancer , limiting the generalizability of these studies to other cancer population s. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide a synthesis of the extant research evidence about th e benefits of exercise related to cancer recovery