Exercise: the next great cancer drug?

As our economy sours, we are entering an era in which increased emphasis will be placed on cost-effective medicine, even in the high-cost area of clinical oncology. Concurrently, we are seeing a burgeoning interest in survivorship, and in line with patient advocacy groups, increased importance of patient empowerment and consumerism. So, wouldn’t it seem that conditions are ripe for a cost-effective intervention that promotes survivorship with the patient front and center?

Everyone knows by now that diet and exercise are part of a healthy lifestyle, and doctors in general medicine and pediatrics have been working for years to figure out ways to “prescribe” both to their patients in a way that will actually promote adherence to the recommendations. Now, it seems, the same is important for clinical oncology as well.

The growth of published exercise intervention articles in the area of medical oncology has been exponential in recent years. In parallel, more and more data point to the adverse effects of high BMI and poor diet in terms of cancer morbidity and mortality.

In just the last year, would you believe that we have learned the following: That physical activity may reduce insulin levels and prevent recurrence in breast cancer survivors? That exercise can diminish fatigue and related effects of pain, emotional distress, sleep disturbance, anemia and co-morbid illnesses in cancer survivors? That riding on a stationary bicycle three times weekly can improve lung function, quality of life and fatigue in survivors of lung cancer after surgery? That in a large Japanese study, daily exercise was associated with a distinct reduction in cancer incidence in both men and women? And, regarding nutrition, that obesity may cause cancer in 6,000 British women a year? That obesity influences cancer incidence and outcomes after cancer in a wide variety of human malignancies?

For a thorough review – by the month – of emerging data in this area, you may be interested in checking out the following link: www.defeatcancer.info (go to “medical literature review,” in the bottom right hand corner). The site is maintained by Dr. Archie Bleyer, a living legend in the field of pediatric oncology and a firm believer in the benefits of diet and exercise in combating cancer.

If you knew of an inexpensive drug for your cancer patients that helped them feel better and stopped their cancers from coming back, wouldn’t you prescribe it? I would.