Exercise Shown to Help Breast Cancer Survivors

Research published by Syracuse University has found that resistance and aerobic exercise can reduce side effects and improve health outcomes in breast cancer patients. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis for women in the United States, and 65 percent of women with breast cancer are overweight or obese. The study found that regular exercise can help patients with side effects from Aromatase Inhibitors, or AIs, which are hormone therapy drugs that stop the production of estrogen. AIs are given to breast cancer patients to reduce the risk of recurrence, but they can have significant adverse side effects including bone loss and severe joint pain or arthralgia, Roughly 40 percent of women stop taking AIs prior to the full, five-year treatment plan.