The Role of Exercise During and After Cancer Care

Exercise plays a crucial role in healthy living during and after cancer treatment. However, cancer patients and survivors may need to exercise less intensely and complete their workout at a slower pace than they are used to.

Exercise doesn’t need to be strenuous in order to produce results. “Research has shown that exercise is not only safe and possible during cancer treatment, it can actually improve how well you function physically and how well you feel ,” says Teri Hoenemeyer, Ph.D., director of Education and Supportive Services at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.”Adding more physical activity to your daily routines can include: walking around your neighborhood after dinner, doing yard work, house cleaning, using the stairs or parking farther away from a building than usual or taking 10-minute walking breaks during the day.

“Fatigue during and after chemotherapy and radiation can make you want to limit your physical activity too much, but completely stopping can actually increase fatigue, creating a vicious cycle,” Hoenemeyer says. “In fact, recent studies indicate that exercise that increases your heart rate, like fast walking, can reduce fatigue.”

In addition to physical benefits, there are many mental benefits of exercise. Exercise can help you relax, and it relieves anxiety. It also reduces your chances of developing anxiety and depression.

“Having an outlet, like exercise, to relieve stress is an important part of getting well and staying healthy,” Hoenemeyer adds. Other benefits of exercise during cancer treatment include:
Improved balance, decreased risk of falls and broken bones

• Maintained muscle tone 
• Decreased risk of heart disease 
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis (weak bones that are more likely to break) 
• Improved blood flow to legs and decreased risk of blood clots 
• Improved self-esteem 

Even though there is still a lot of research on the effects of exercise on cancer recovery and on the immune system that needs to be done, most agree that regular exercise during and after a cancer diagnosis has positive health benefits. Physical activity may also reduce the risk of getting the following types of cancer or prevent cancer from recurring:

• Breast cancer 
• Colon cancer 
• Endometrial cancer 
• Advanced prostate cancer 
• Pancreatic cancer 

Exercise and increased physical activity can also help prevent chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and hypertension.

When starting an exercise program or routine, each person will have different physical abilities due to their age, diagnosis and prior exercise experience so it is important to talk to your doctor before starting. Here are a few tips for starting an exercise routine:

• Start slowly and take frequent breaks 
• Use a mix of muscle groups for strength training, aerobics, and flexibility 
• Always warm up first and stretch afterward 
• Don’t push yourself and listen to your body 
• Take deep breaths and relax! 

For more information on current exercise recommendations for cancer patients and survivors, visit the American Cancer Society online.

Take the first step in starting an exercise route by joining us on Saturday, June 2 for the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center’s inaugural Lace Up for a Cure, a 2K (1.3 mile) walk raising awareness and education of services offered at the UAB Cancer Center and bringing together individuals who have been touched by cancer.

All ages are welcome. Free onsite parking is available. Learn more and register today!

Understanding Screening Options for Colorectal Cancer

March is colorectal cancer awareness month.

When there is an abnormal growth in the colon or rectum it is called colorectal cancer. The colon and rectum, which are commonly referred to as the large intestine, are the lower part of the digestive system, which processes food for energy and rids the body of solid waste. Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women. 

Having polyps found early and removed from the colon or rectum keeps some people from getting colorectal cancer. In order to find polyps early, it is important to know when to get screened by your doctor. Starting at age 50, men and women who have average risk, age 45 for African Americans due to the slight increase in risk and age 40 for people with a family history of colorectal cancer diagnosed before the age of 60.

There are a few different screening tests that can be used to detect colorectal cancer. Your doctor can help determine which screening test is right for you. “Each test has its advantages and disadvantages, but the colonoscopy is the only test that is both a screening test and a therapeutic test,” says Dr. Nipun Reddy, Clinic Director in the UAB Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Screening test options include:

•          Colonoscopy- most comprehensive method and is recommended every 10 years
•          Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)- if this method is chosen it must be done annually
•         CT Colonography- if this method is chosen it must be done every 5 years
•          Stool DNA test (Cologuard)- if this method is chosen it must be done every 3 years

All of the above tests are approved for colorectal cancer screening. If any test comes back positive and/or irregular, a colonoscopy will be needed. More information on each test can be found here.

Risk factors for colorectal cancer:

•         Family history of colon cancer or polyps- One first degree relative (parents or siblings) diagnosed before the age of 60 or two second degree relatives (grandparent, uncle, aunt) diagnosed before the age of 60. 
•         Personal History of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis)
•        Age
•        Being overweight or obese
•         Physical Inactivity 
•         Diet high in red meats (beef, pork, lamb, liver) and processed meats (hot dogs and luncheon meats)
•         Smoking
•         Heavy Alcohol Use 

Talking with your doctor about colorectal cancer can be overwhelming. It is important to remember that this is their specialty and they are there to help you and provide guidance, expertise and advice.

“A conversation about colorectal cancer screening with your doctor should begin anytime and a careful review of family history will help determine if screening should begin sooner,” says Dr. Reddy.

Why Give Wednesday - Colorectal Cancer Awareness

Why Give Wednesday - Colorectal Cancer 

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). About 136,000 people will be diagnosed this year, and about 50,000 will not survive.

What is UAB Doing to Prevent Colorectal Cancer?

The UABComprehensive Cancer Center is a nationally recognized leader in the research and treatment of colon cancer. The center played an integral role in the development and approval of two important drugs used to treat colon cancer – Avastin and Erbitux, the latter of which was the first monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA for the treatment of colon cancer. The Cancer Center also researches minimally invasive surgical techniques, including laparascopic procedures, in order to improve patient comfort and recovery.

Treatment at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center

Colon cancer patients at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center are seen in the center’s Multidisciplinary Gastrointestinal Oncology Clinic, located in The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital. The clinic treats all types of GI cancers, including esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, bile duct cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer, as well as soft-tissue sarcomas and endocrine diseases (thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas and adrenal).

The clinic’s multidisciplinary approach to treatment provides access to a team of dedicated specialists, including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiologists, who work together to design the most effective treatment plan possible.

Pictured: Dr. Martin Heslin

Surgical Oncology Specialist at UAB. 

UAB’s Vision

The vision of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is to eliminate cancer as a major public health problem. The mission of the Center is to provide the highest quality of life for people diagnosed with cancer, while advancing the understanding of cancer and translating this knowledge into improved prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.

Visit our website for more information, your support is greatly appreciated. Donations are accepted here.