A comprehensive new review has found that exercise can significantly reduce the side effects of cancer treatments, including brain fog, pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. The analysis, which covered a wide range of cancer types and exercise forms-including aerobic, resistance, and mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi-showed that nearly half of the associations between exercise and symptom relief were supported by moderate to high certainty evidence.
Notably, the review highlights that exercise not only helps with physical symptoms but also improves cognitive function and mood. Pre-operative exercise was also linked to fewer post-surgical complications. Experts recommend that physical activity be integrated into cancer care to help improve both quality of life and clinical outcomes for patients.
Read more about these findings in the original review on exercise can mitigate some of the side effects of cancer treatments.