Exercise Prescription

Cancer treatments and the prevalence of other common geriatric co-morbidities can complicate exercise testing and prescription. Cancer patients may experience functional decline as a result of metastasis, osteoporosis, hematologic abnormalities, fatigue, chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy and treatment-induced cardiovascular and pulmonary toxicities. Late effects of anti-neoplastic treatment can lead to further loss of function decades later. Appropriately prescribed exercise can produce gains in aerobic fitness, muscular strength and quality of life. In addition, it can potentially prevent some types of cancer and reduce risk of cancer recurrence and cancer-related death. Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to thoroughly evaluate physical function and design individualized exercise prescriptions in the oncology patient population.