Exercise Training in Cancer Survivors

Numerous observational reports suggesting the positive benefits of physical activity in patients diagnosed with cancer have prompted multiple investigative studies involving exercise training for patients throughout the continuum of a cancer diagnosis. Physicians and primary caregivers struggle to find clearly defined guidelines or recommendations for exercise prescriptions that are specific to their widely variable cancer patient populations. Although there continues to be emerging evidence supporting physical activity in cancer survivors, further research is required to investigate new and existing outcomes, methods to sustain positive effects of exercise over time, and to better define guidelines for exercise interventions that include exercise type, frequency, intensity, duration, and timing. Studies of exercise interventions on patients with a range of cancer diagnoses and differing cancer treatments, and involving the pediatric population should be further investigated to document benefit and develop more refined recommendations for physical activity in all cancer survivors.