“Exercise Reduces Radiation Therapy Side Effects in Breast Cancer Patients”
Sports and Exercise Can Reduce the Side Effects of Radiation Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients, Says Expert
According to a statement by Prof. Dr. Ali Aydın Yavuz, sports and exercise can make radiation therapy more tolerable for breast cancer patients, which is the most common form of disease in women. He cited a study conducted by the Edith Cowan University Exercise Medical Research Institute that shows 43 out of 89 women with breast cancer enrolled in a 12-week sports and exercise program experienced a faster recovery from cancer-related fatigue during and after radiotherapy compared to the control group.
The program consisted of one or two weekly physical endurance exercises at home and 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise. Additionally, patients who exercised also experienced significant improvements in their health-related quality of life during and after radiation therapy, and no exercise-related adverse effects were reported.
Prof. Dr. Yavuz recommends 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per day or 20 minutes of more vigorous aerobic exercise three days a week. He also advises 8-10 strength training with 8-12 repetitions per exercise two to three days a week, such as Pilates, Fitness, and similar exercises.
He notes that these exercise protocols that can be done at home will continue to have positive effects after the completion of radiation therapy. Therefore, he recommends that breast cancer patients do these sports and exercises regularly for at least 1 year during and after radiation therapy. The study shows that sports and aerobic exercise done at home during and after radiation therapy are safe, applicable and effective in accelerating the recovery from radiation or cancer-related fatigue and improving health-related quality of life.
