{"id":18362,"date":"2025-08-28T11:00:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T15:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/?p=18362"},"modified":"2025-08-28T11:00:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T15:00:58","slug":"new-guidance-from-oncologists-recommends-structured-exercise-as-a-part-of-recovery-after-chemotherapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/new-guidance-from-oncologists-recommends-structured-exercise-as-a-part-of-recovery-after-chemotherapy-18362\/","title":{"rendered":"New guidance from oncologists recommends structured exercise as a part of recovery after chemotherapy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The large-scale research behind this guidance reveals a powerful benefit: prescribed physical activity can not only rebuild fitness but also potentially lower the chance of the cancer returning<\/strong> and help patients live longer.<\/p>\n

The findings come from an international trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine<\/strong><\/a>. The decade-long study tracked nearly 900 people across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, and Israel, and the results are being described as practice-changing for oncologists worldwide.<\/p>\n

What the trial revealed about structured exercise<\/h2>\n

The trial enrolled 889 individuals, most with stage three colon disease, between 2009 and 2023. Participants were randomly divided: one group received only lifestyle advice through a booklet, while the other took part in a structured, supervised exercise program with support from personal trainers and health coaches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The difference in outcomes was striking. After five years, those in the exercise group had a 28% lower risk of developing new or recurrent disease<\/strong>. At the eight-year mark, the same group also showed a 37% lower risk of death<\/strong> compared with those who received lifestyle advice alone.<\/p>\n

Dr. Gralow, chief medical officer at ASCO, noted that the magnitude of benefit was on par with, or greater than, many drugs<\/strong> currently prescribed after treatment. Unlike medication, exercise does not carry toxic side effects. “We titled [the session] As Good as a Drug. I would have retitled it Better than a Drug”, she said.<\/p>\n

What structured training looks like and how you can implement it<\/h2>\n

The study program wasn’t extreme, but it was consistent. Patients worked with a trainer twice a month in the beginning, tapering down to once a month, over three years. They were coached toward weekly goals equal to three or four brisk walks<\/a> lasting 45 to 60 minutes each<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Some participants chose other activities, from kayaking to skiing, but the key was regular, moderate-to-vigorous movement<\/strong> combined with professional support. If you are recovering and want to add exercise safely, here are the main steps experts recommend:<\/p>\n