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The benefits of exercise in cancer patients and the criteria for exercise prescription in cardio-oncology

2019; Oxford University Press; Volume: 28; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/2047487319874900

2047-4881

Flavio D’Ascenzi, Francesca Anselmi, C Fiorentini, Roberta Mannucci, Marco Bonifazi, Sergio Mondillo,

Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in high-income countries. Cardiovascular complications can be found in cancer patients, being the result of so-called 'cardio-toxicity'. Therefore, it becomes essential to thoroughly investigate the origin of cardiac damage and the strategy to prevent it or to reverse the negative remodelling associated with cardiotoxicity. In this review the beneficial effects of physical exercise in cancer patients were analysed, particularly to prevent cardio-toxicity before its clinical manifestation. According to the relevance of exercise, we suggest strategies for exercise prescription with a tailored approach in these patients. In conclusion, physical exercise seems to be a promising and effective treatment for cancer patients during and after therapy and seems to counteract the negative effects induced by drugs on the cardiovascular system. Exercise prescription should be tailored according to patient's individual characteristics, to the drugs administered, to the personal history, and to his/her response to exercise, taking into account that different types of training can be prescribed according also to the patient's choice. A cardiological evaluation including exercise testing is essential for an appropriate prescription of exercise in these patients.