Melinda Irwin on Impact of Exercise on Survivors' Quality of Life

Melinda Liggett Irwin, PhD, MPH, associate professor of epidemiology (chronic diseases), Yale School of Public Health, co-program leader, Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program, Yale Cancer Center, discusses the impact of the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA Program on survivors' fitness, physical activity, and quality of life.

Yale Cancer Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute evaluated the efficacy of the LIVESTRONG Foundation’s free three-month exercise program offered to cancer survivors. The study showed that the program significantly improved physical activity levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, quality of life, and cancer-related fatigue.

Data from observational studies demonstrate that physical activity done before and after a cancer diagnosis is associated with improvements in prognosis, recurrence, and mortality. Results from randomized controlled trials have shown that exercise improves biological markers, such as inflammatory or metabolic markers measured in the blood.