Study: Daily exercise may help prevent and control cancer

Exercising daily not only prevents different forms of heart disease but is also highly beneficial for the people living with and beyond cancer, suggests a study. To spread the message, an initiative called - Moving Through Cancer - led by Kathryn Schmitz, professor of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine, and an international team of health practitioners and researchers - has been started. In a paper published in 'CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians," Schmitz and her fellow researchers outlined new exercise recommendations for people living with and beyond cancer.

"With more than 43 million cancer survivors worldwide, we have a growing need to address the unique health issues facing people living with and beyond cancer and better understand how exercise may help prevent and control cancer," said Schmitz, who is also a member of the Penn State Cancer Institute.

"This esteemed, multidisciplinary group of leaders at the forefront of exercise oncology aimed to translate the latest scientific evidence into practical recommendations for clinicians and the public and to create global impact through a unified voice," added Schmitz. According to the researchers, exercise is important for cancer prevention and can lower the risk of developing colon, breast, endometrial, kidney, bladder, esophagus and stomach cancers.

Exercise during and after cancer treatment can help improve fatigue, anxiety, depression, physical function, and quality of life, and can also help improve survival after a breast, colon or prostate cancer diagnosis. Depending on the patient's activity levels and abilities, the researchers generally recommend 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise three times a week and 20 to 30 minutes of resistance exercise twice a week.

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