The positive impact of sport on cancer patients is undeniable. According to statistics from the American Cancer Society (ACS), today more than 3 million Americans are living with
prostate cancer. That's about one in nine people in the United States. This type of disease is sluggish, so many patients prefer not to be actively treated, but to be observed for a long time.
If the disease develops quickly and the patient wants to get rid of the tumor as quickly as possible, oncologists most often prescribe surgery, hormonal therapy (also called androgen deprivation therapy), or radiation therapy. Sometimes a combination of the three above methods is considered optimal.
Exercise, according to the American College of Cardiology, helps protect a patient from cancer treatment relapses such as heart disease, shortness of breath, etc. For example, androgen deprivation therapy (one of the main methods of treating prostate cancer) is implemented by reducing testosterone levels. This allows you to stop tumor growth, but at the same time leads to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Sports activities are also recommended for patients with indolent forms of cancer. Thanks to constant maintenance of good physical shape, a man keeps his body weight level at a stable level, without sudden changes. This stability often helps keep the cancer from rapidly progressing.