PHYSICAL EXERCISE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CANCER PATIENTS

Abstract

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), in 2022 alone, there was a 20 million increase in the number of individuals with cancer worldwide. Data from the Ministry of Health show that there is a growing and early rise in sedentary lifestyles and obesity, thus leading to higher cases of chronic diseases, including cancer. Therefore, people's adherence to physical exercise programs could prolong the lives of many cancer patients, allowing them to achieve better health and reduce treatment costs, which could lead to better socioeconomic conditions for society as a whole. Understanding the role of physical exercise in the side effects of cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy), as well as possible interference with the tumor and recurrence of this disease, is of fundamental importance, both academically and for the health and well-being of society. Based on this premise, the central objective of this chapter was to seek and describe evidence that allows us to understand the benefits of physical exercise in cancer prevention and treatment of cancer patients. The authors observed a decrease in inflammatory molecules, increased longevity, a decreased risk of treatment toxicity, improved quality of life and patient survival, a decrease in disease recurrence, and a decrease in insulin resistance in patients undergoing cancer treatment who exercised. Thus, it was possible to conclude from the articles included in this systematic review that physical exercise improves quality of life, treatment fatigue, appetite, and sleep, in addition to reducing side effects in patients undergoing treatment and reducing the chance of disease recurrence.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2025.031-004