Of all the treatments for cancer - this is my favorite!

'lizbeth · 06-09-2010, 04:42 PM

After the surgeries, the chemo, the vaccine trial - I have finally started my favorite treatment as a cancer survivor: prescriptive exercise!

Has anyone else done prescriptive exercise for cancer related fatique and cancer prevention?

Rich66 · 06-09-2010, 10:55 PM

I thought you were going to say Cocoa.

MJo · 06-10-2010, 07:22 AM

Ditto, Rich. I thought she was going to say chocolate.

sarah · 06-10-2010, 08:01 AM

I agree chocolate rules!!
so what is prescriptive exercise???
What ever gets you through the night.
health and happiness
sarah

'lizbeth · 06-10-2010, 03:24 PM

Okay, compared to Cocoa, PE has been moved down the list of favorite to my 2nd favorite way to prevent breast cancer.

Thanks Rich!

'lizbeth · 06-10-2010, 03:45 PM

My oncologist referred me to help with fatique, decrease level of fitness, etc from the cancer treatments. Here is what my doctor of physical therapy has on his website:

Why should I exercise?
Many cancer survivors feel that they are just too tired to exercise. They think that exercise offers no benefit to them, and it's not at all important.

The natural course of aging causes many of the body's physiological processes to change. Our heart function diminishes, so does our ability to breathe and process oxygen. Our muscle strength and endurance decreases as we age, and we lose our flexibility, our balance and coordination decreases, and our bodies change shape and composition. All of these things are accelerated by cancer and cancer treatment.

Reasearch continues to prove that exercise is not only beneficial for all individuals, but even more so for cancer survivors. Exercise not only addresses, but can slow and even reverse, the effects of aging and cancer treatment if performed consistently at the appropriate intensity.

How can exercise help fatigue?
Fatigue is driven by many factors; some related to cardiac function, some related to pulmonary function, and some even related to the metabolic process (how your body locates and utilizes energy). As a complex, biologic organism, the human body never improves or heals with inactivity. In fact, inactivity is the leading cause of physical dysfunction and disability. Our bodies are designed to move; to exercise.

When you exercise at the appropriate level and intensity, the biologic systems of the body actually enhance their function; they get better! With exercise, your heart functions better, pumping more blood with less of a contraction; your breathing becomes easier, and you have the ability to sustain activity for a longer duration. With increased endurance, fatigue actually lessens and function improves.

Does exercise impact Cancer?
Yes! Research studies have shown a positive link between exercise and the development of Cancer. Those who exercise consistently have been shown to not only have a lower incidence of Cancer, but exercise also reduces the risk of Cancer recurrence. Another study demonstrated that the higher the level of cardiorespiratory fitness, measured in METs or Metabolic Equivalents, can reduce breast cancer recurrence. Breast cancer survivors were shown to be able to reduce the risk of death due to breast cancer recurrence by 55% if they achieved a cardiorespiratory fitness level of 10 or greater METs.

tricia keegan · 06-10-2010, 03:54 PM

'Lizbeth I hav'nt been given a prescription for exercise but am fortunate to live by a beach so enjoy walking daily for an hour. I know when I don't do it I feel less well so agree, it has to have good effects either mentally, physically or both!!

Personally I feel great when I have that walk!!!

Adriana Mangus · 06-10-2010, 08:19 PM

I have always exercised, since I was in my teens..but...

Never before like I did exercise right before my dx in 1994. I weighed 126 lbs., ate healthy, little alcohol, no cigarretes, and felt great. It was a shock to my and my family to hear the news--since there is no history of breast cancer in the family, and primarily because they knew how addicted to exercise I was.

After my initial diagnosis, I went back to my daily routine, exercise more and more than ever before....Then in 2003, again---reocurrence, this time to rt lung...I continue exercising, not as hard or as long as I used to and I continue to feel good...

Now, I think exercise is good; it helps to keep all those negative thoughts out of your mind.
As far as a preventive medicine against cancer, I doubt it very much.

Look at at Suzanne Sommers, Martina Navratilova, Lance Armstrong and many more athletes. No one is immune to cancer, exercise or not.

swimangel72 · 06-12-2010, 07:24 AM

Thank you Adriana for reminding us that there is no one magic "solution" to preventing cancer! A wonderful woman in my community succombed to lung cancer last year after only a brief 8 month fight........she was only in her 40's - was a marathon runner, ate very healthy, never smoked, and was never overweight. Although I agree that exercise can help combat OTHER problems that come with natural aging, it is not the cure-all that some scientists claim.

Jackie07 · 06-12-2010, 06:19 PM

I like the points 'lizabeth shared with us. Very true that exercise doesn't necessarily prevent cancer. But look at all three celebrities cited above - they are all still alive and having high quality of life.

I do attribute my good recoveries from my two brain tumor surgeries, two breast cancer surgeries, and prophylactic hysterectomy/oophorectomy to having been an athlete the first half of my life and following good prescriptive exercises after each operation. Physical therapists and occupational therapists are all my good friends.

Walking is probably the best and most safe exercise. I tried Yoga one time after my bi-lateral mastectomy and resulted in 'diastasis recti' after just 3, 4 sessions.

harrie · 06-17-2010, 11:35 PM

I would like to input my opinion on exercise preventing cancer. I think exercise may not directly prevent cancer, but I believe that it can significantly influence the prevention by reducing stress which I feel can lower one's resistance to many diseases including cancer.
I also feel there is a relationship between exercise and the immune system.

Sandra in GA · 06-19-2010, 05:07 AM

I wish I lived in an area that offered prescriptive exercise. 'lizabth, I am jealous. I know that now that I have begun to walk and do some self determined exercises for my arms in the pool, I am feeling much better. You go girl!

'lizbeth · 06-20-2010, 09:29 AM

Well everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I'm more comfortable making my health decisions off scientific studies.

Here is an exerpt from a study of 14,000+ women:

In this study, we observed an inverse association between
CRF and the risk of breast cancer mortality. Women in the
moderate and high CRF groups demonstrated a 33% and
55% lower risk, respectively, of dying of breast cancer. This
association persisted after adjustment of other available
potential confounders. Women with an exercise capacity

less than 8 METs had a nearly threefold higher risk of dying.

I'm at 8.67 METs aiming for 10+ to be in the high CRF group.

Hopefully you all will have to put up with me for a long time, lol!

Rich66 · 06-20-2010, 10:16 AM

What is "CRF"?

There seems to be increasing suggestion that overdoing it may be harmful. Probably better to do moderate excercise more regularly:

http://news.health.com/2010/05/11/st...ellular-death/

Quote:

Strenuous exercise appears to stop the body’s cells from killing themselves as they’re programmed to do, a new study suggests.

Br J Sports Med. 2008 Jan;42(1):11-5. Epub 2007 May 15.
Deleterious effects of short-term, high-intensity exercise on immune function: evidence from leucocyte mitochondrial alterations and apoptosis.

Tuan TC, Hsu TG, Fong MC, Hsu CF, Tsai KK, Lee CY, Kong CW.
Dr C-W Kong, Division of Cardiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No 201, Sec 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan.
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although moderate exercise can benefit health, acute and vigorous exercise may have the opposite effect. Strenuous exercise can induce alterations in the physiology and viability of circulating leucocytes, which have a causal relationship with exercise-induced immune distress. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the use of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP), a functional marker of the energy and viability status of leucocytes, for monitoring the immunomodulating effects of short-term, high-intensity exercise. METHODS: 12 healthy volunteers with a mean Vo(2)max of 70.4 ml/kg/min carried out 3 consecutive days of high-intensity exercise (85% of Vo(2)max for 30 min every day). Blood samples were collected at multiple time points immediately before and after each exercise session and at 24 and 72 h after the completion of exercise. Leucocyte MTP, apoptosis and circulatory inflammation markers were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: MTP of peripheral blood leucocytes had declined immediately after the first exercise session and remained subnormal 24 h later. It did not normalise until 72 h after exercise. The sequential changes in MTP were consistent among the three leucocyte subpopulations (polymorphonuclear neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes) and were significant (p<0.05). Leucocytes displayed a gradual and incremental change in their propensity for apoptosis during and after exercise. Similarly, plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and soluble Fas ligand were raised during the exercise sessions and had not normalised by 72 h after the completion of exercise. Correlation between changes in leucocyte MTP and plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and soluble Fas ligand was variable, but significant for polymorphonuclear neutrophils and lymphocytes (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term, high-intensity exercise can lead to a significant and prolonged dysfunction of the mitochondrial energy status of peripheral blood leucocytes, which is accompanied by an increased propensity for apoptosis and raised pro-inflammatory mediators. These results support the immunosuppressive effects of excessive exercise and suggest that MTP is a useful marker of these effects.

PMID: 17504785 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]