Daily HealthBeat Tip

Cancer strength

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ray Sass with HHS HealthBeat.

Could exercise help cancer patients cope?

A study indicates it might.

Researchers followed two groups of patients undergoing radiation treatment for breast or prostate cancer. One got moderate exercise; the other didn't.

Dr. Karen Mustian of the University of Rochester Medical Center presented her findings to the American Society of Clinical Oncology:

"Patients in the exercise group, by the end of the study, were able to increase the total number of steps they walked each day by 82 percent." (8 seconds)

Exercisers also felt less fatigue during radiation treatments and maintained strength afterward. The non-exercising group lost strength.

Should all cancer patients work out? Mustian says exercise may be a good way to beat cancer fatigue, but patients should work with doctors to find the right exercise program for them.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ray Sass.

Last revised: July 19, 2006

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