The Role of Exercise Before Cancer Treatment
Author(s)
Denehy, L; Edbrooke, L;
Details
Publication Year 2022-10,Volume 38,Issue #5,Page 151330
Journal Title
Seminars in Oncology Nursing
Publication Type
Review
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We aim to describe on the role of exercise in preparation for cancer treatments (prehabilitation) that include surgery and neoadjuvant or nonsurgical approaches. We discuss the evidence for the role of exercise and provide guidelines to exercise prescription and examples of the structure of prehabilitation exercise programs. DATA SOURCE: We use peer-reviewed articles obtained through PubMed searches with search terms: exercise, oncology, cancer surgery, exercise physiology, respiratory exercises, prehabilitation, and behavior change. CONCLUSION: The emergence of prehabilitation in preparing patients for cancer care has followed a rapidly upward trajectory over the past 20 years. Exercise prehabilitation remains the cornerstone of management, particularly in patients attending for major surgery. Multimodal approaches to supporting patients before cancer treatment are now well accepted and include screening and individualized treatments of functional, nutritional, and psychological impairments. Respiratory training before surgery and the addition of behavior change strategies to improve adherence to interventions and promote improved longer-term outcomes are now included in many prehabilitation programs. For exercise to be an effective treatment in improving fitness and strength, supervised aerobic and resistance exercises at moderate intensity are recommended. There remains debate regarding the use of higher-intensity exercise, the appropriate outcome to measure efficacy, and the mechanisms driving the efficacy of exercise. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: We provide background evidence and knowledge pertaining to the role and provision of exercise prehabilitation. Understanding screening, risk factors, and potential efficacy assists in knowing who to refer for prehabilitation and what the programs include. This enables more effective com munication with patients attending for cancer treatments.
Keywords
Humans; *Preoperative Care; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Treatment Outcome; *Neoplasms/rehabilitation; Cancer surgery; Exercise oncology; Exercise physiology; Prehabilitation
Department(s)
Health Services Research
PubMed ID
36008200
Terms of Use/Rights Notice
Refer to copyright notice on published article.


Creation Date: 2024-10-23 06:31:30
Last Modified: 2024-10-23 06:33:16

© 2024 The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Access to this website is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

An error has occurred. This application may no longer respond until reloaded. Reload 🗙