Exercise and Cancer Survivorship (PDF)

An increasing number of people are now surviving for longer periods of time after a cancer diagnosis due to effective screening programs and treatments. In 2008, 25 million people were either living with cancer or recovering from cancer treatment worldwide. This means that the quality of cancer survival has become an important issue in the management of cancer patients.

The cancer experience is widely acknowledged as a life-changing event and can be the trigger for reviewing personal health behaviours and making major lifestyle changes. Evidence suggests that regular exercise participation during and after cancer treatment is associated with higher levels of physical functioning, reduced feelings of fatigue and improved health-related quality of life. Studies have also shown that a physically active lifestyle can protect against cancer mortality.

Exercise and Cancer Survivorship: Impact on Health Outcomes and Quality of Life explores the impact of a physically active lifestyle on health outcomes that are highly relevant to cancer patients at all stages of the cancer experience. Twelve active and eminent researchers or research groups in this field from the USA, Canada and Europe present an up-to-date synthesis of the scientific evidence. We hope that the book will provide an impetus for further research in the field, so that ultimately, all cancer patients will have the opportunity to experience the benefits that exercise might have to offer to them.