COLUMBIA, Mo., July 10 (UPI) -- University of Missouri-Columbia researchers have found that exercise can help some cancer patients cope with the side effects of treatment.
Vicki Conn, associate dean of research and professor of nursing, and a team of researchers from the university's Sinclair School of Nursing examined the effects of exercise on cancer-treatment patients.
They found that exercise reduced side effects such as weight gain or loss, fatigue, nausea and vomiting associated with cancer treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. Specifically, the research showed that exercise does benefit the physical functions of patients currently or recently being treated for cancer.
"Improvement in physical function, such as the ability to climb a flight of stairs or walk a certain distance, is an important outcome because it greatly impacts patients with jobs and children," Conn said. "Exercise can reduce recovery time and help patients feel better as they deal with the side effects of cancer treatment."
Patients should speak with their doctors before implementing any exercise regimen with cancer treatment, advised Conn.
The study was published in the July issue of Supportive Care in Cancer.
