Exercise Could Lower Fatigue And Depression In Breast Cancer Patients: Study

Exercise could be the secret weapon to help breast cancer patients combat common side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

A new study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine shows that physical activity could help women being treated for breast cancer to have less fatigue and depression.

The study included 240 women with non-metastatic breast cancer, who were enrolled in the study anywhere from four to 10 weeks after they’d undergone surgery for their cancer. Some women who were put in a 10-week program where they learned Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management, while the other women completed a one-day “self help” group. Researchers also kept track of how much exercise all the study participants were getting.

The researchers found that the women who exercised the most during the time between the surgery and starting their assigned therapy were also the ones whose fatigue got in the way of their daily lives the least. In addition, these women’s moods were not as depressed.