Posted by on May 13, 2014 in Blog, Breast cancer, Colorectal cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, Leukemia, Lung cancer, Lymphoma, Melanoma, Multiple Myeloma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Prostate cancer |

Fatigue and Cancer Treatment

You’ve finished treatment but you still feel fatigue.  Fatigue is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy and cancer treatment that can continue after treatment.  It doesn’t seem logical but research indicates that physical activity can help.

Physical Activity and Cancer Survivorship

The Centers for Disease Control physical activity recommendation for cancer survivors is “150 minutes of moderate- or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, along with 2 sessions of strength training, every week.”  According to research presented at the  American Association for Cancer Research 2014 Annual Meeting in April,  only a little over 10% of the cancer survivors meet these guidelines.  However, those who did also had decreased fatigue, higher self-reported mental and physical health and quality of life.

littleboy in moms shoesIn another study,

“the risk of breast cancer mortality was estimated to be decreased by 23.9% for patients active at least one MET-hour per day. Running was associated with significantly greater reductions in the risk of mortality than walking.”

So be like this little guy and try on those walking shoes or even running shoes and enjoy the Northern Hemisphere’s fine spring weather /Southern Hemisphere’s fine fall weather.  And be sure to stay hydrated!