Cancer Exercise Specialist
*It is essential that you get your GP or Oncologist’s approval before starting any exercise program.
Please call or email and your paperwork can be provided to you.
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“If the effects of exercise could be encapsulated in a pill, it would be prescribed to every cancer patient worldwide and viewed as a major breakthrough in cancer treatment.” - Prue Cormie for The Cancer Council 2018
Exercise – a medicine that may double your chance of survival and cause your body to attack the cancer - Prof. Robert Newton 2016
Exercise causes your body to produce its own anti-cancer drugs….it should be an integral part of overall management of the cancer patient
- Prof. Robert Newton 2016
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Exercise Before, During & After Prognosis, Surgery & Treatment improves your survival odds.
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Prevention-
A healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce the risk of cancer (Wand & Zhou 2020). Overweight or obese people are at a higher risk of at least 13 different types of cancer. These include cancer of the breast, thyroid, liver, pancreas, kidneys, uterus, ovaries and colon (CETI 2021).
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Active people have a lower risk of breast, endometrial, prostate and colon cancer. Sitting for long periods of time has been linked to cancer and other health risks – even in active people. (CETI 2021)
The Benefits of Exercise During Cancer Treatment
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Exercise is an important part of your cancer treatment plan. Research shows that regular exercise can greatly improve physical and mental health through every phase of treatment (CETI 2022).
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Exercise can inhibit cancer growth and metastasis, improve the side effects resulting from cancer treatment, improve tolerance to treatment and improve quality of life (Wang & Zhou 2020).
Your CES Personal Trainer will write an exercise plan specific to your situation and your needs to get you moving safely and successfully.
Benefits can include:
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Lowering the chance of physical side effects such as fatigue, neuropathy, lymphedema, osteoporosis and nausea
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Reduce your risk of anxiety and depression
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Keep you as mobile and independent as possible
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Improve your balance to reduce injuries
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Prevent muscle loss and build strength
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Prevent weight gain and obesity
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Improve sleep
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Decrease hospital in-patient time
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Make your treatment more effective at destroying tumor cells
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Improve survival rates for certain cancers such as breast and colorectal cancer
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Reduce the risk of other cancers
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Prevent other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes
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Improve your quality of life
“Cancer patients who exercise regularly experience fewer and less severe side effects…they also have a lower relative risk of cancer recurrence and a lower relative risk of dying from their cancer”
- Cancer Council, 2018
Your CES Personal Trainer will undertake a comprehensive personal assessment in an initial 90 consultation. Then, a specific program will be written for you to meet your individual needs and likes.
Components of your workout may include:
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Breathing exercises
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Stretching
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Cardiovascular exercise
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Strength training
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Mat Pilates
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Aqua aerobics
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Exercise and Cancer Recovery
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After surgery and cancer treatment, it is essential for a full recovery that postural deviations due to muscle imbalance are corrected. Improving range of motion, postural deviations, balance, and regaining (or gaining) strength and fitness can all help in improving your quality of life and overall health and well-being. Studies show that survival rates for breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer may be improved through moderate exercise (Wang & Zhou 2020).
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Exercise and Cancer Survivors
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The ‘new you’ may have a new outlook on life and a new focus on healthy living. Your Personal Trainer and exercise class can establish healthy routine with people in the same situation as you and be a great support to you as you move towards the future.
The Science
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When we exercise, we are increasing our blood flow around our body. Tumors can have a poor blood supply, so improving the chemotherapy chemicals’ ability to get into the tumors is vital. So if you exercise immediately before or after treatment, you are still influencing the circulation and getting the medicine into the targeted cancer cells (ABC Catalyst 2016).
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Our immune system is identifying and destroying unwanted cells and bacteria in our body all the time – and it is still one of the best ways to fight cancer cells. Whilst chemotherapy chemicals poisons our tumor cells, it also is damaging our immune system.
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A small study in Sweden in 2013 analysed blood before and after exercise. Serum form the blood taken was poured over prostate cancer cells. The ‘after’ blood serum suppressed the cancer cell growth by 30% (Rundquvist el al. 2013) as exercise had prompted the body to release natural killer cells into the blood stream.
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In a 2016 study, mice with five different types of cancer (including lung, liver and melanoma were split into two groups. One group had an exercise wheel, the other group did not. In all the cancers of the exercising mice, a reduction of 60-70% of tumor growth was recorded (Pederson L et al. 2016). The tumors of the exercising mice were full of natural killer cells, produced by the mice during exercise.
During exercise, adrenaline produces natural killer cells into the bloodstream, and when we exercise, our muscles produce a chemical called Interleukin 6 (IL-6). This chemical seeks out tumor cells directly and tells natural killer cells what to target (Rundquvist el al. 2013).
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Exercise and Endorphins
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When we exercise, our body produces endorphins. One of these endorphins is called the ‘beta-endorphin.’ This has anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating, stress-busting, pain killing, and euphoria producing effect on our body (Shrihai 2019).
Prostate Cancer
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Patients undergoing prostate cancer treatment may be on anti-testosterone medicine which can lead to osteoporosis. Studies have shown that resistance training and high impact training such as jumping and skipping can prevent bone density loss (ABC Catalyst 2016).
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CANCER EXCERCISE SPECIALIST
Initial 90 minute Personal Assessment $120
Classes $40 per hour (Max of 3 people per class)
Private Classes $100 per hour
Paid in blocks as per the school term
Mini bike rental - $20 per week
References
ABC Catalyst 2016, Exercise and Cancer, How Targeted exercise Can Help Fight Cancer, broadcast 2106, Exercise & Cancer
Cormie, P 2018, ‘Every cancer patient should be prescribed exercise medicine’, Cancer Council, 7 May 2018, viewed online 2 March 2022,
CETI 2022, ‘Prevent Cancer with Lifestyle Changes’, CETI, viewed 2 March 2022,
CETI 2022, ‘The Benefits Of Exercise During Cancer Treatment’, CETI, viewed 2 March 2022,
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Newton R 2016, ABC Catalyst, Exercise and Cancer, How Targeted exercise Can Help Fight Cancer, television program, broadcast 2016,
Pederson L, Idorn M, Olofsson G, Lauenborg B, nookaew I, Hansen R, Johannesen H, Becker J, Pedersen K, Dethlefsen C, Nielsen J, Gehl J, Pederson B, Straten P, Hojman 2016, ‘Voluntary Running Suppresses Tumor Growth Through Epinephrine – And IL - Dependent NK Cell Mobilization And Redistribution’, Science Direct, vol. 23 issue 3, 8 March 2016, pp 554-562.
Rundquvist H, Augsten M, Stromberg A, Rullamn E, Mijwell S, Kharaziha P, Panaretakis T, Gustafsson T and Ostman A 2013,
‘Effect Of Acute Exercise On Prostate Cancer Cell Growth’, Plos One,
Shrihari, T.G. 2019, ‘Beta Endorphins – Holistic Theraputic Approach to Cancer’, Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine, Postgrad Med. 2019 Dec vol.17, no. 2, pp. 111-114,
Wang, Q and Zhou, W 2020, ‘Roles and molecular mechanisms of physical exercise in cancer prevention and treatment’, Journal of Sport and Health Science, Shanghai University of Sport, vol.10, no. 2, pp. 201-210.