Impairments that may be relatively easy to address early, such as weakness, fatigue, neuropathy, pain, and reduced mobility, can become far more difficult and costly to treat if left unmanaged for weeks, months, or years. Rehabilitation is key to preventing long-term disability and maximising recovery.
For many people affected by cancer, the side effects of treatment can make physical activity feel too hard or even unsafe. This is where oncology physiotherapists play a critical role.
By safely prescribing and adapting exercise around these side effects, oncology physios help people achieve the therapeutic “dose” of exercise that research shows is required to improve survival, reduce recurrence, manage side effects, and optimise recovery.
"This trial has the potential to transform clinical practice."
— Caroline Geraghty, Cancer Research UK
Substantial progress has been made in the field of exercise-oncology research for breast cancer. Numerous studies now demonstrate that participation in physical activity is strongly associated with:
A comprehensive review published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (2024) highlights the importance of including exercise at all stages of care — prevention, treatment, and survivorship.
"Exercise Oncology has come a long way — especially in breast cancer. Exercise is now recognised not only for prevention and survivorship but for improving treatment outcomes."
The largest analysis of its kind (485 associations from 80 articles, published 2025) found:
Conclusion: Exercise is safe, effective, and should be part of routine cancer care.
For people diagnosed with blood cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, exercise is becoming a vital part of care. Research shows that physical activity:
Exercise is increasingly being recommended during treatment and recovery for people with blood cancers, though programs should always be tailored and supervised by qualified professionals.
Recent research has underscored the critical role of muscle mass in both cancer treatment tolerance and long-term survival outcomes.
Low muscle mass (sarcopenia) is now recognised as a strong prognostic factor for overall mortality and cancer-specific survival — particularly in cancers such as breast, prostate, and gastrointestinal cancers.
Patients with low muscle mass are more likely to experience severe treatment side effects, require chemotherapy dose reductions, and face poorer overall recovery outcomes.
Importantly, growing evidence shows that low muscle mass poses a greater risk to health and survival than high fat mass in many people living with cancer. Prioritising muscle preservation and rebuilding during and after cancer treatment has therefore become a core focus of cancer rehabilitation.
Exercise, including progressive resistance training, plays a critical role in improving muscle mass, physical function, and treatment tolerance. This highlights the need for targeted, professionally supervised rehabilitation programs that focus on strength development alongside safe aerobic conditioning.
At PINC & STEEL, we believe every person affected by cancer should have access to the support they need to rebuild strength, confidence, and independence — safely and effectively.