Simple change may slash chemotherapy side effects for cancer patients

Twice-weekly exercise sessions lasting for 15 to 30 minutes may reduce nerve-related side effects of chemotherapy, a study suggests.

Certain treatments carry a high risk of problems including pain, balance issues and feelings of numbness, burning or tingling.

Known as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), these symptoms can become chronic for some patients.

Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland recruited 158 people to test the benefits of regular exercise.

All were receiving either oxaliplatin or vinca-alkaloids, which are chemotherapy drugs known to cause nerve symptoms in up to 90 percent of cases.

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Participants were divided into three groups. Two groups took part in two activity sessions each week, using either balance exercises or a vibration plate. The third was a control group and received standard care.

Check-ups over the next five years found that twice as many patients in the control group developed CIPN, compared with either of the exercise groups.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, concluded that the exercises reduced risk of nerve damage by 50 to 70 percent.

Patients who exercised also experienced increased quality of life, were less likely to reduce their doses of cancer medications, and had a lower risk of dying within five years of treatment.

Study leader Dr Fiona Streckmann, a sports scientist at Basel, said the potential benefits of physical activity for patients undergoing chemo were “hugely underestimated”.

She added: “This side effect has a direct influence on clinical treatment: for example, patients may not be able to receive the planned number of chemotherapy cycles that they actually need, the dosage of neurotoxic agents in the chemotherapy may have to be reduced, or their treatment may have to be terminated.”

Dr Streckmann said she hoped the findings would lead to more sports therapies being employed in hospitals.

Caroline Geraghty, specialist cancer information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said chemotherapy-related nerve damage often affects the fingers and toes.

She added: "This study helps to prove that organised exercise programmes could reduce the risk of getting peripheral neuropathy for patients who are receiving chemotherapy.

"Cancer patients go through a lot when they are diagnosed, and focusing on lifestyle changes like being more active might sound overwhelming.

“But research shows that exercise before beginning cancer treatment can help reduce side effects and may improve your long-term health.

"It's important to take things at your own pace and do activities that are right for you. If you’d like advice or support on your situation, speak to your cancer team.”