Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : March 26, 2018 11:26 AM IST
It is said that early detection of cancer, be it blood-related or a solid tumour can help one withstand the strains of treatment whether chemotherapy or radiation and improve chances of survival. However, that is just one part of the story. Post-treatment and surgery (if necessary) one needs to follow a healthy lifestyle to reduce chances of recurrence. One way to do it is by engaging in regular physical activities or exercise to boost immunity and limit the proliferation of cancer cells.
Cancer is a group of disorders that grows rapidly and can also spread to the other parts of the body. In the world, billions and billions of dollars are spent for research on cancers. According to the burden of disease 90.5 million were affected with cancer, and 8.8 million deaths were reported from 1990 till 2015 as per a study published in LANCET journal in 2016, and this is increasing irrespective of age groups.
Here Dr Nilesh Makwana, Director & consulting physiotherapist, Muscle N Mind Physiotherapy Centre, Mumbai talks about how exercise and corrective diet post-cancer can improve one's chances of survival. 'Among cancer-related deaths, 25 to 30 percent are due to tobacco, as many as 30 to 35 percents are linked to diet, about 15 to 20 percent are due to infections and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc,' says Dr Makwana.
Regulating BMI helps in prevention of many cancers. Excess body weight is associated with many cancers and causes 14 to 20 percent of cancer deaths according to American Cancer Society guidelines published in 2006. In the UK as well, almost 5 million people had higher BMI which caused almost 10 types of different cancers and responsible for almost 12000 cases each year as per research published in Lancet 2014. Physical Inactivity may contribute to cancer, not only through higher BMI but also due to negative effects on the immune system and endocrine system.
Here is how exercise and physical activity help
Physical activity and proper diet help in cancer treatment which can reduce the detrimental effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. A number of studies have looked at the effects of physical activity on cancer recurrence and long-term survival. Exercise has been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, body composition, fatigue, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, happiness, and quality of life in cancer survivors. At least 20 studies of people with breast, colorectal, prostate, and ovarian cancer have suggested that physically active cancer survivors have a lower risk of cancer recurrence and improved survival compared with those who are inactive, as per the report published by American Cancer Society.
After the treatment either by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, there is a significant decrease in muscle mass and reduced endurance. Cancer survivor does believe that because they are not able to do any activity they should be resting and follow the routine. However, physical activity helps in faster recovery post chemo and radiotherapy. Physical activity helps to regulate many hormones which help in increasing muscle strength and muscle mass, it also helps to release natural killer (NK). However, those who treated for lung and digestive cancer will have lower BMI, and for them maintaining healthy body weight using proper nutrition guidelines and exercises are important.
What you should do
When you start exercising after a cancer treatment it is advisable that you follow the advice doled out to you by your doctor or get in touch with physiotherapy to understand how to get started. With weak muscles and a massive weight loss that happens during the treatment, it is necessary that you don't commit any workout mistakes that can be more damaging to your body. So, get in touch with an expert to know how exercise can help you gain some strength, muscle mass and build immunity to kick cancer in the butt.
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