A new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that simple exercises during chemotherapy sessions can help cancer patients avoid long-lasting nerve damage that is often associated with cancer-killing drugs. The study, led by Fiona Streckmann from the University of Basel in Switzerland, found that about twice as many cancer patients who did not exercise during chemotherapy developed long-lasting nerve damage compared to those who followed an exercise regimen.
Approximately 70% to 90% of people undergoing chemotherapy experience pain, balance issues, or feelings of numbness, burning, or tingling. These nerve symptoms can persist even after cancer treatment, affecting about half of the patients.
For the study, 158 cancer patients receiving either oxaliplatin or vinca-alkaloids chemotherapy drugs were divided into three groups. Two groups completed exercise sessions twice a week during their chemotherapy, each lasting 15 to 30 minutes. One group exercised while balancing on an unstable surface, and the other exercised on a vibration plate. The third group received standard care with no exercise regimen.
Over the next five years, regular exams showed that the exercises performed alongside chemotherapy reduced the incidence of nerve damage by 50% to 70%. Exercise also improved patients’ quality of life, helped them tolerate high doses of chemotherapy, and reduced their risk of death.
Nerve damage related to chemotherapy can impact clinical treatment, as it may lead to reduced chemotherapy doses or treatment termination. Currently, no medications have been found to prevent or reverse chemotherapy-related nerve damage. However, exercise has been found to be both effective and cost-efficient in preventing this damage.
Researchers are working on guidelines for hospitals to integrate exercise into cancer treatment as supportive therapy. An ongoing study in six children’s hospitals in Germany and Switzerland is also investigating whether exercise can prevent nerve damage in children receiving chemotherapy.
More information about physical activity and cancer patients can be found on the American Cancer Society’s website.
