Basic Exercise Guidelines For Cancer

To date, no formal guidelines for cancer survivors have been published in the UK. However general recommendations based on published US and Australian guidelines are:

• Avoid inactivity and try to return to some activity as soon as possible after surgery.
  
  
• Aim to continue to be physically active as far as possible while undergoing cancer treatments such as chemotherapy but be aware that treatment-related toxicities which can increase risk of anemia, infection and affect cardiorespiratory fitness and bone health.
  
  
• After cancer treatments, most cancer survivors should build up to age-appropriate guidelines for health-enhancing physical activity (typically aerobic exercise for two and a half hours per week, resistance exercise twice weekly, and balance/coordination exercise twice weekly).
  
  
• For those clients with cancer complications or co-morbidities that prohibit moderate-intensity exercise, avoidance of total inactivity is nonetheless advised.