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Upping Your Exercise Game in Cancer Care
Confirmed
In Short: The CHALLENGE trial, published last year, has placed exercise in a new category of evidence for cancer care, according to Karen H., quoted in Medscape.
This trial proves that a structured exercise program can reduce the long-term risk of recurrence and even extend survival for patients with colon cancer.
Jessica Scott, PhD, director of the exercise oncology program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, emphasized that the question is no longer whether patients should exercise, but how to consistently incorporate it into routine oncology care.
Research indicates that many patients want their oncologists to discuss exercise, and a recommendation from a trusted clinician is one of the strongest predictors of exercise participation.
The CHALLENGE trial involved randomly assigning patients with colon cancer to either a 3-year exercise program that included 50-70 hours of structured support or a control group that received educational materials encouraging exercise.
Schmitz, PhD, MPH, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and deputy director of the Hillman Cancer Center, noted that this is now saving lives.
Scott added that discussing exercise can redirect a patient’s interest from unproven supplements or less beneficial dietary changes, focusing instead on changes that will best serve them.
The CHALLENGE trial moves beyond evidence that exercise helps with brain fog, fatigue, and surgery recovery, all important outcomes on their own.
However, many practices lack an onsite, philanthropy-funded exercise program, making it challenging for patients to access structured exercise programs.
Making exercise part of routine cancer care seems like a no-brainer, but the challenge lies in implementing these programs widely.
Ligibel noted that the topic of exercise often arises naturally when patients worry about how a treatment plan may disrupt their life.
What this adds
The CHALLENGE trial's findings significantly advance the understanding of exercise's role in cancer care, shifting the focus from quality of life to survival outcomes.
The FDA's approval of a new basal insulin for type 2 diabetes is unrelated to the CHALLENGE trial findings and does not impact the discussion on exercise in cancer care.
What's confirmed
- This trial proves that a structured exercise program can reduce the long-term risk of recurrence and even extend survival for patients with colon cancer.
- Jessica Scott, PhD, director of the exercise oncology program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, emphasized that the question is no longer whether patients should exercise, but how to consistently incorporate it into routine oncology care.
- Research indicates that many patients want their oncologists to discuss exercise, and a recommendation from a trusted clinician is one of the strongest predictors of exercise participation.
- The CHALLENGE trial involved randomly assigning patients with colon cancer to either a 3-year exercise program that included 50-70 hours of structured support or a control group that received educational materials encouraging exercise.
- Schmitz, PhD, MPH, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and deputy director of the Hillman Cancer Center, noted that this is now saving lives.
- Scott added that discussing exercise can redirect a patient’s interest from unproven supplements or less beneficial dietary changes, focusing instead on changes that will best serve them.
- The CHALLENGE trial moves beyond evidence that exercise helps with brain fog, fatigue, and surgery recovery, all important outcomes on their own.
- However, many practices lack an onsite, philanthropy-funded exercise program, making it challenging for patients to access structured exercise programs.
- Making exercise part of routine cancer care seems like a no-brainer, but the challenge lies in implementing these programs widely.
- Ligibel noted that the topic of exercise often arises naturally when patients worry about how a treatment plan may disrupt their life.
What's still developing
- The trial “puts exercise in a whole new evidentiary category,” according to Karen H.
- However, evidence suggests that recommending exercise can be beneficial throughout the cancer care continuum, ranging from pre- and post-surgery to the period after active treatment.
- After a cancer diagnosis, Ligibel said, many people are interested in making lifestyle changes, and the oncologist “has an incredible role” in helping them direct their focus on changes that will best serve them.
- The FDA has approved insulin efsitora alfa-gobe (Onswik, Eli Lilly), a once-weekly basal insulin, as an adjunct to diet and exercise for glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.