Walking can improve quality of life for cancer patients: Study

Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Researchers from the University of Surrey in England have found walking can improve quality of life for patients with advanced cancer.

Scientists from the University of Surrey along with a team from Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery at King's College London studied the impact of walking on symptom severity and overall quality of life in patients with advanced stage cancer.

The study followed 42 cancer patients divided into two groups; one group received coaching from Macmillan Cancer that encouraged walking 30 minutes a day, three times a week, and the second group was told to maintain their current activity level.

Results showed that participants in the group in which walking was encouraged reported an improvement in physical, emotional and psychological well-being compared to the group that maintained normal activity.

"The importance of exercise in preventing cancer recurrence and managing other chronic illnesses is becoming clear," Emma Ream, professor of Supportive Cancer Care and director of research in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study, said in a press release.

"Findings from this important study show that exercise is valued by, suitable for, and beneficial to people with advanced cancer. Rather than shying away from exercise people with advanced disease should be encouraged to be more active and incorporate exercise into their daily lives where possible."

The study was published in BMJ Open.