Cancer is a condition where abnormal cells within the body, multiply in an uncontrollable way. In 2020, in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland there were 39,500 people living with Cancer.

Being active can help reduce the risk of cancer. And the more active you are, the better (1).

Being active can help you keep a healthy weight, which reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer (including: Bladder, Breast, Colon, Endometrial, Esophageal, Kidney (renal cell), Stomach (gastric))
Exercising regularly can lower the risk of breast cancer and bowel cancer in particular.
Being active has many benefits – it keeps your body and mind healthy. The more you can do, the better!

This is, in part, due to the fact that physical activity reduces inflammation, improves immune system function, and helps to prevent being very overweight, with obesity leading to a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancers

1 - Physical activity and cancer | Cancer Research UK

Darlaine, We Are Undefeatable Storyteller, has managed to get active whilst living with breast cancer thanks to the support of her sister and their shared sense of humour.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I be active with cancer?

Yes!

Physical activity is safe, possible and helpful for many people with cancer.

The right exercises when you have cancer will vary from person to person, and your current fitness and ability to exercise should be taken into consideration. Thinking about exercise might be the last thing on your mind while dealing with symptoms or side effects, but physical activity may help with this.

How can physical activity help?

Here are just some of the ways that physical activity can benefit you:

Improves cancer related fatigue
Helps depression and anxiety
Improves sleep quality
Improves quality of life
Improves cardiorespiratory fitness
Improves cognitive function
Improves muscle strength
Helps joint pain
Reduces hormone / metabolic dysfunction
Helps maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity
Reduces post-operative complications
Helps lymphoedema
Helps sexual function

Any amount of activity is good for you, but the more active you are the greater the benefits!

You don't need to become a marathon runner or join the gym to be more active – you don't even have to leave your home! Anything that gets you a bit warmer, slightly out of breath, and your heart beating faster counts.

If you are unsure where to start, visit We Are Undefeatable for top tips and inspiration.

How does exercise and being active help prevent cancer?

Overall, the more active you can be the more you can lower your risk of cancer – especially breast cancer and bowel cancer. So even if you start by doing small amounts of activity you can build it up over time.

Being active and being a healthy weight can reduce the levels of oestrogen and insulin in the body. Oestrogen and insulin are hormones that can encourage breast cells to divide more often, which increases the risk of cancer.
Being active and being a healthy weight can help your immune system to work at its best. This means the body can be better at spotting, and dealing with, cells which could go on to become cancer.
Being active helps move food through our bowel faster. This means anything harmful in the food we eat and the waste we excrete (poo) spends less time in our bowel. This may help to prevent bowel cancer.
Being active and being a healthy weight reduces inflammation. Too much inflammation can cause our cells to divide more often, increasing cancer risk.

What are some activities I could try?

It's fine to start being more active whether:

you have just been diagnosed
you're having treatment
you have recently finished

How much you do depends on how fit you are generally. You can start by making a few small changes. For example you could start by walking around your house or walking around the block or even getting off the bus one stop early.

Some more structured activities could include:

Walking
Light jogging
Swimming
Dance
Yoga

If you aren't very physically active, you'll need to build up gradually. If you do too much one day, you might feel very tired and sore the next day. Don't feel that you always have to do more than yesterday. Some days you'll have more energy than others.

Start with short chunks (10 to 15 minutes) of gentle activity. Then gradually build up until you reach your target.

Try and stay active. You can break up periods of rest with activities around the house, for example, mowing the lawn or ironing.

Find activities that are enjoyable as you are more likely to stick to it. But try not to let past lack of activity put you off starting altogether. Gentle walking or swimming is fine for just about everyone. You can still build up day by day.

When should I take extra care in choosing a form of physical activity?

People with certain types of cancer or having particular treatments might need to avoid some types of exercise. There are some situations where you need to take extra care.

Cancer affecting your bones

If you have cancer affecting your bones, you might be more at risk of a break or fracture. You must avoid putting too much strain on the affected bones. You could try swimming or exercising in water. The water supports your body weight, so the skeleton isn't stressed. Exercise such as yoga generally appears safe for everyone.

Low immunity

People with low immunity due to treatment should try to avoid exercising in public gyms. Ask your medical team when it is safe to start exercising in the gym with other people. This doesn't mean you can't be physically active in other ways.

Peripheral neuropathy

Some people have a loss of sensation, or feelings of pins and needles, in their hands and feet. This can be due to cancer treatments. It is called peripheral neuropathy. If you have this, it might be better to use a stationary bike than to do other types of weight bearing exercise.

After certain types of surgery

After certain types of surgery, you might have to wait before you can exercise like you used to. Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse for advice on what types of exercise you can do.

I'm looking for advice around some specific symptoms?

Exercise shouldn't hurt or leave you breathless when you stop so it is important to speak to someone if you are unsure.

For more information and symptom specific advice regarding cancer and physical activity, please visit: Exercise guidelines for cancer patients | Cancer Research UK | Coping physically

Covers different types of cancer, coping physically with cancer, tiredness and cancer fatigue and much more.

Should I try to sit less?

It's not clear yet if spending lots of time sitting or lying down increases the risk of cancer. However, we do know that sitting or lying down for long periods of time throughout the day (being inactive) isn't good for our health and can increase the risk of developing multiple long-term health conditions. Even people who do lots of exercise might spend too much time being inactive during the rest of the day.

If you do spend long periods of time being inactive at home or at work, it's a good idea to get up and move about regularly if you are able to do so. Try going for a walk on your lunch break, doing bits of housework, regularly going to get a drink of water, or moving on the spot when taking phone calls. Find an activity that works for you at We Are Undefeatable.

Let's Get Moving:

Active at Home

Lots of information and ideas on how to keep yourself healthy and active whilst staying at home or working from home.
Getting active, my way: What's near me?

This resource is here to help you find your local parks, open spaces, walking and cycling routes, and give you some ideas on what to do when you get there.
Walk, Run, Cycle, Together

Thinking about having a go at walking, running or cycling? It's a great way to get out in your local area and move a little more.
Receive personalised support to move more

Contact your local Physical Activity, Health & Wellbeing Team who can provide advice and opportunities to support you to become more active.

Further Useful Links:

Being active is important for cancer (PDF, 101 Kb)
Being active is important for cancer. This interactive document tells you exactly why, with some really useful top tips.
NHS (Cancer)

A detailed overview of cancer, including the signs and symptoms, and further support.
Cancer Research UK

There are lots of benefits of exercise, including reducing your risk of cancer. This page explains the benefits of exercising and physical activity.
MacMillan

Becoming more physically active is a positive change when you are living with or after cancer. Find out how much activity is right for you.
Maggie's

Maggie's offers the best possible support, free to anyone with cancer and their families.

You are performing the exercises linked from our website at your own risk.

Whilst every effort has been made to verify the information on the Cancer page, Active Together is not responsible for the accuracy or content of external websites. Whilst taking part in physical activity, participants should ensure they take part at a level which is appropriate to them and their health and are responsible for ensuring they check the credentials and health and safety requirements for each activity. It is recommended that participants follow the Chief Medical Officers Guidelines for physical activity. Participants will choose to utilise these links and take part in activities at their own risk.

For Healthcare Professionals

It is important to have conversations with those living with cancer about the importance of physical activity. Physical activity as a prevention and treatment for long-term health conditions is a consensus backed by rigorous evidence.

Our Active Medicine page supports local healthcare professionals with promoting the benefits of physical activity, including Physical Activity and Health training, E-Learning resources, and healthy conversation skills.

The fantastic Moving Medicine resource hosts step-by-step guides to have quality conversations with patients about physical activity for Cancer. They've squeezed all the important information and questions to ask into a step-by-step guide to help you have good quality conversations about physical activity, whether you have 1 minute, 5 minutes, or longer with a patient, there is a guide for you.