How exercise really is key to survival
The role of exercise in preventing diseases is well established. Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of developing at least 40 chronic conditions, including breast cancer.
A 2018 meta-analysis found that regular physical activity decreased the risk of breast cancer by 22% with higher intensity exercise being slightly more protective to lower intensity exercise.
Despite the known benefit of exercise in reducing the risk of breast cancer prior to diagnosis there are often questions raised about whether exercise is beneficial and safe for the breast cancer patient once the diagnosis is made.
The evidence has shown that exercise can lead to reduced progression, recurrence, and mortality from breast cancer not only for those who are highly active prior to diagnosis but also for those who commence activity following diagnosis.
A 2022 meta-analysis comprising over 31,000 breast cancer patients found those with the highest level of Physical activity (300 minutes moderate intensity physical activity per week) had a 48% reduced all-cause mortality and 38% reduced breast-cancer specific mortality compared to those with the lowest activity levels.
Exercise is not only safe for breast cancer patients, but it can have significant benefits on reducing or managing symptoms/complications associated with the cancer and/or treatment.
Exercise can reduce anxiety, depression, and fatigue, while also improving quality of life and helping to manage complications associated with breast cancer such as lymphoedema.
Whether you swim, run, walk, hike, cycle, or even lift weights, you should find an activity that you enjoy and continue to exercise and challenge your body physically in all stages of life.
Although you may have to alter the intensity, time, and/or type of activities you do and you may not always feel like exercising when you have a condition such as breast cancer, you should continue to find ways to stay active.
Breast cancer patients should not fear exercise, rather they can embrace it!
This article was written by Shai Lawson, ELIA Lifestyle Medicine Centre Exercise Physiologist.
References:
1. Cariolou, M., Abar, L., Aune, D., Balducci, K., Becerra‐Tomás, N., Greenwood, D. C., Markozannes, G., Nanu, N., Vieira, R., Giovannucci, E. L., Gunter, M. J., Jackson, A. A., Kampman, E., Lund, V., Allen, K., Brockton, N. T., Croker, H., Katsikioti, D., McGinley‐Gieser, D., & Mitrou, P. (2022). Postdiagnosis recreational physical activity and breast cancer prognosis: Global Cancer Update Programme ( CUP Global) systematic literature review and meta‐analysis. International Journal of Cancer, 152(4), 600–615. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.34324
2. Hardefeldt, P. J., Penninkilampi, R., Edirimanne, S., & Eslick, G. D. (2018). Physical Activity and Weight Loss Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis of 139 Prospective and Retrospective Studies. Clinical Breast Cancer, 18(4), e601–e612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clbc.2017.10.010
3. Joaquim, A., Inês Leão, Antunes, P., Capela, A., Viamonte, S., Alves, A. J., Helguero, L. A., & Macedo, A. (2022). Impact of physical exercise programs in breast cancer survivors on health-related quality of life, physical fitness, and body composition: Evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Frontiers in Oncology, 12.https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.955505
4. Lahart, I. M., Metsios, G. S., Nevill, A. M., & Carmichael, A. R. (2015). Physical activity, risk of death and recurrence in breast cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. Acta Oncologica, 54(5), 635–654. https://doi.org/10.3109/0284186x.2014.998275