If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer , you may be wondering if you should focus on getting through treatment instead of keeping up with your physical fitness. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that exercise is not only good for you now , it may also set you on the path to a healthier survivorship . What’s more, the American Cancer Society, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommend that all cancer survivors get a total of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, along with at least two strength-training sessions , each week.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290a98c8fa-c616-4b4a-9f4e-c526e41beea5e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762938c7b272-0b53-4d5a-8784-46be7dad1e79 Here are some cancer-related issues that a workout may help with.
How to Start How Do You Work Out With Cancer? Around the country, there are a few exercise programs designed specifically for cancer patients and survivors. At Henry Ford’s ExCITE program (Exercise and Cancer Integrative Therapy Education), for instance, cancer patients are evaluated by exercise physiologists to determine their baseline fitness and create personalized plans for them. “Patients can work out at home, at their own gyms, or on-site at our cardiac rehab facilities,” says Walker. If you don’t have access to a similar program, check with a local YMCA or gym for a trainer who specializes in cancer patients.
After Treatment When Treatment Is Done After treatment, it’s important to keep moving to mitigate the long-term effects of treatment. Doing so can improve bone health , cardiovascular function, and cognition. Menopausal Symptoms “Premenopausal women often take tamoxifen , an antiestrogen, for five years posttreatment, which can put them into menopause,” says Walker, triggering side effects like hot flashes . These effects can be mitigated with exercise, she adds. Exercise can help you maintain muscle strength as you age, which in turn helps preserve bone health and reduce the risk of fractures. Similarly, many postmenopausal survivors take drugs called aromatase inhibitors , which can cause joint pain and may accelerate bone loss. Research on this population suggests aerobic exercise can help reduce pain when it’s started early in aromatase therapy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296cc7c068-4c42-4e88-828f-209fabcd27e1 Walker says exercise may also help women who take aromatase inhibitors to stay on the medication. “If exercise helps these women lose weight and feel less pain , that means they often stay on the medication, and that improves their long-term prognosis.” Heart Health In their first statement on the matter, the American Heart Association discussed the overlapping risk factors between heart disease — the No. 1 killer of women — and breast cancer. This statement also highlighted the possible cardiovascular effects of cancer treatment, potentially putting breast cancer survivors at a higher risk for cardiovascular-related death.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a463b156-c7f5-46c1-9aa3-afc80d54fa6b In fact, because of improvements in the detection and success in treating breast cancer , many more cancer survivors end up at risk for heart disease, simply because of aging. Their risk is higher if they have existing risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity or smoking. Plus, certain cancer treatments can trigger cardiac complications that elevate risk. According to a study published in 2022, women with breast cancer had a higher incidence of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular-related deaths than women without breast cancer. This risk level varied with the type of treatment administered.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292ec0090b-1bf8-440a-bf29-b09de237c6a9 Exercise, particularly among older, previously sedentary, or overweight women, can be the key to heart health. One review found that aerobic exercise reduced cardiovascular risk factors in people who were diagnosed with breast cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629fef5ef47-fcd8-42e6-bb5b-f151d65b5e6c Cognition and Memory Many breast cancer survivors report feeling foggy — it’s sometimes called “chemo brain” — after treatment, while others experience a decline in thinking, memory, and concentration, says Sheri Hartman, PhD , a professor at UCSD Herbert Wetheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and a member of the Moores Cancer Center in San Diego. According to recent research authored by Dr. Hartman, exercise may help alleviate some of these symptoms. Based on data from a randomized clinical trial, Hartman found that following an exercise program was associated with improved attention and slower epigenetic aging over the length of the study.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292c2215e1-4051-4316-bfa8-59f59f292e8b
During Treatment Exercise During Treatment Physical activity during treatment may ease fatigue, lymphedema, and mood disturbances. Treatment-Related Fatigue Cancer-related fatigue is a common and serious symptom among breast cancer survivors.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298d8938ba-7229-4235-ac10-5adb1d6ef29d In fact, a review published in 2023 found that 4 to 7 out of every 10 cancer patients experience fatigue, compared with 1 out of 10 in the general population.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eb6a8e35-c311-4318-8903-0cf64f3a805a An impressive roster of studies indicates that exercise can measurably improve this type of fatigue brought on by treatment. According to research, workouts like yoga, resistance training, and endurance training can be effective ways to combat cancer-related fatigue.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293ca9857d-4098-4675-b160-394e997b0d4be60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ba3ff1a5-9753-40ac-800f-af242559d7b1 Lymphedema When lymph nodes are removed during breast cancer surgery, you may end up with swelling and pain because of a buildup of lymph fluid. “It used to be that we told women not to lift weights because we thought it caused lymphedema ,” says Eleanor M. Walker, MD , the director of breast services in the department of radiation oncology at Henry Ford Cancer Institute in Detroit. “But data now shows that light weight lifting can actually prevent it.” A study published in 2025 found that resistance exercise has no negative effect on breast cancer-related lymphedema. In fact, it may have the potential to decrease lymphedema .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f936566d-4819-40b0-a92b-4818dbc8612b That said, if you’ve just had surgery, get clearance from your surgeon first. Mood “Exercise releases endorphins, brain chemicals that make us feel better,” says Walker. “I encourage patients as they go through radiation treatments to experiment with the kinds of exercise that make them feel better — I ask them, ‘What used to make you happy when you were a kid?’” Whatever you choose to do — hitting the gym, a dance class, bowling, gardening, playing with kids or grandkids in the park — aim for a mood-boosting session that’s at least 30 minutes at moderate intensity. A good gauge is when you’ve broken a sweat but can still speak.
Resources We Trust Mayo Clinic: How to Reduce the Risk of Breast CancerCleveland Clinic: Can Exercise Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity and CancerAmerican Cancer Society: Exercising After Breast Cancer SurgeryAmerican Heart Association: How to Lower Heart Disease and Breast Cancer Risk at the Same Time
