A trial presented at the 14th European Breast Cancer Conference found that exercise reduced pain and fatigue, and improved quality of life for people with metastatic breast cancer.
The greatest improvement was seen among patients aged under 50, although patients of all ages benefitted from exercise. However, they say their findings provide strong evidence that all patients with cancer that has spread to other parts of the body should be offered exercise as part of their package of treatment and care. Everyone was benefited.
Anouk Hiensch, from the University Medical Center Utrecht, presented the research. Although there has been a lot of research on exercise for people with early-stage cancer, we have seen very little research on exercise in patients with more advanced disease.
Patients with advanced cancer often undergo ongoing treatment with the goal of prolonging their life. Many people with metastatic cancer enjoy longer lives, but they also experience deteriorating health over time. Thus, we require supplementary care tactics, such as physical activity, that enhance the quality of life for these patients.
The trial included 357 patients with metastatic breast cancer with an average age of 55 years, with an average age of 55 years. The eight cancer centers in Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and Australia are looking for patients. 178 out of these patients were randomly selected to participate in a nine-month exercise regimen alongside their usual medical care, while the remaining 179 received their usual medical care.
The exercise program consisted of twice weekly personal training with resistance, aerobic and balance exercises overseen by a physiotherapist or exercise physiotherapist. Both groups were encouraged to be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day and were given activity trackers.
The researchers asked the participants about their fatigue and lifestyle, as well as any pain they were experiencing, at the beginning of the study and after three, six, and nine months.
The researchers concluded that individuals who engaged in the fitness regimen experienced less fatigue and enjoyed a higher standard of living. The biggest improvements were seen for women under the age of 50 and those suffering pain at the beginning of the study.
These findings lead us to recommend supervised exercise for all women with advanced breast cancer, especially those who are experiencing discomfort, as part of their routine medical care. Older patients also benefitted from exercise, but the program might require some additional fine-tuning for them to benefit as much as younger patients.
Look for an exercise trainer who is trained in helping cancer patients if patients are interested in exercising.
It could be that exercise reduces inflammation, which is why exercise helps cancer patients who are suffering from pain. We’ve taken blood samples from the people in the trial, and we might learn more by studying them.
A cost-benefit analysis is being conducted by the researchers to persuade policymakers and health insurers to support physical activity programs for patients.
Professor Michail Ignatiadis from the Institute Jules Bordet in Brussels, Belgium, is Chair of the 14th European Breast Cancer Conference and was not involved in the research. He is Professor Michail Ignatiadis from the Institute Jules Bordet in the research shows that patients with advanced breast cancer can enjoy a better quality of life with less fatigue and pain if they participate in an exercise program as part of their treatment and care, according to him. People with metastatic cancer can live for many months or years, even though they cannot always be cured of their disease. As a result, ensuring they enjoy the highest possible standard of living is a vital undertaking.
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer provides European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer.
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