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Physical Activity Guidelines for Survivors

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American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Roundtable on Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors

  • Exercise is safe during and after cancer treatments and results in improvements in physical functioning, quality of life and cancer-related fatigue in several cancer survivor groups
  • Cancer Survivors should follow the Physical activity Guidelines for Americans with adaptations based on disease and treatment-related adverse effects
    • Few, if any, survivors are able to exercise to the extent recommended by the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines.
    • Avoid inactivity
    • Weekly:
      • Aerobic: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise or equivalent
      • Strength-training: 2-3 weekly sessions that includes exercises for major muscle groups.
      • Flexibility: stretch major muscle groups and tendons on days that other exercises are performed
  • Need to understand:
    • Specifics of your diagnosis and treatments received
    • Fitness level prior to your cancer diagnosis
    • The most common toxicities associated with cancer treatments
    • Fractures and CVD events with hormonal therapies
    • Neuropathies related to certain types of chemotherapy
    • Musculoskeletal morbidities secondary to treatment
    • Treatment-related cardio toxicity.
    • Those with metastatic disease to the bone will require modification (reduced impact, intensity, volume) due to bone fragility and fractures.

Most Exercise evidence is based on:

  • Breast
  • Prostate
  • Colon
  • Hematologic
  • Gynecologic cancers
    • Researchers think the results are relevant to other cancers, but it is not KNOWN yet.