Getting moving in cancer care

Exercise in cancer care was the subject of a talk by Dr Noel McCaffrey, Dublin City University, at Gathering Around Cancer 2025.

Dr McCaffrey provided an overview of the practical challenges in providing an exercise programme for cancer patients. This includes tailoring exercise classes to the level of fitness of the patient. He also described ExWell, an exercise programme with 54 centres and online modules, that have over 9,000 people taking part on a weekly basis. The non-profit social enterprise is staffed by 74 healthcare professionals and has a Healthlink referral option.

The benefits of exercise on patient wellbeing and outcomes are clear, Dr McCaffrey stressed. After a diagnosis, exercise can help the patient gain confidence and retain a sense of self-identity.

During treatment, exercise can also enable the patient to maintain their fitness levels and post-surgery, appropriate exercise helps the patient to regain their level of fitness, as well as improving psychological wellness and retaining their sense of identity. In addition, exercise enhances recovery post-surgery, and the psychological and physical benefits continue during subsequent treatment. Tailored exercise also helps to ameliorate medication side-effects and lower the risk of a recurrence, and similar benefits are apparent in the recurrence of metastases, according to research data.

“There are diverse trials looking at the impact of preoperative exercise on pulmonary complications,” Dr McCaffrey told the conference.

“But no matter what the type of surgery is, no matter what the training is, no matter for how long – even for one week – there was a reduction in the risk of potentially lethal pulmonary complications. That message could not be more simple.”