Implementing Cancer Exercise Rehabilitation: An Update on Recommendations for Clinical Practice

Abstract

A growing body of research evidence supports the benefit of exercise for cancer survivors both during and after cancer treatment. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on our previously published review in 2006 on the state of the evidence supporting exercise for survivors of cancer as well as guidelines for integrating exercise programming in the cancer clinical setting. First, we provide a brief overview on the benefits of exercise as well as preliminary evidence supporting the implementation of community-based exercise programs. Second, we summarize the principles and goals of exercise, and the identified barriers to exercise among cancer survivors. Finally, we propose an interdisciplinary model of care for integrating exercise programming into clinical care including guidelines for medical and pre-exercise screening, exercise testing and programming considerations.