ABSTRACT
Physical activity can serve as a valuable tool during rehabilitation and chronic disease management for cancer patients. A number of organizations have offered general guidance and recommendations for “health-enhancing” physical activity for cancer patients. Physical activity can help prevent some cancers and also can be utilized as a treatment for populations where cancer is already present. Physical activity, or lack thereof, plays an important role in the likelihood of developing cancer. Other known lifestyle and preventable causes of cancer include tobacco use, alcohol intake, diet, obesity, and behaviors that increase exposure to oncogenic viruses. Since physical activity should be a central component of cancer prevention and treatment strategies, it is important to encourage consistent moderate to vigorous physical activity. With regard to physical activity and cancer, most clinicians now consider physical activity as an integral strategy for cancer primary prevention, secondary and third prevention, and tertiary prevention and treatment.
