Physical exercise, the forgotten accelerator in recovery from childhood cancer

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The health benefits of regular physical exercise are innumerable and well known.

From the control of cardiovascular risks, such as hypertension, and also stress, to strengthening the immune system, among others.

The earlier physical activity begins, the better.

As a general rule.

But what about cancer patients?

Years ago, rest, rest and tranquility constituted the general recommendation of oncologists towards their patients.

However, several studies have shown that exercise can improve the recovery of these patients.

Also, and almost more, when it comes to the smallest cancer patients.

According to epidemiological data on childhood cancer in Spain in 2020 collected by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) through its Observatory and the National Registry of Childhood Tumors,

.

Considering the types of tumor, 30% of the diagnoses correspond to leukemia;

13% to lymphomas;

22% are central nervous system tumors and 20% brain tumors.

Those same statistics indicate that

One of these investigations, still in progress, on physical exercise focused on children is the one led by Carmen Fiuza, doctor in Biomedicine and researcher at the Health Research Institute of the Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, and Alejandro Lucía, professor of Physiology at the Exercise at the European University of Madrid and National Prize in Research in Sports Medicine.

The work, financed by the Unoentrecienmil Foundation, has shown that regular and continuous practice of physical activity speeds up the recovery of children suffering from cancer, reduces the side effects of pharmacological treatment, has a positive impact on their immune system and even

A space in the hospital

As a result of this research and hand in hand with the foundation, the Unoentrecienmil Accelerator project was born, which seeks to provide hospitals with specific spaces for practicing exercise, as well as a

so that they can be analyzed by researchers.

Lucía and Fiuza explain that their study began four years ago, although their work in the field of physical exercise and cancer began much earlier.

"The Foundation's project was born from the need to continue advancing on this subject and to generate more medical evidence, even using mice to which we inoculated a pediatric tumor and then 'trained' them, making them run on a treadmill, to study

or to find out if they lived longer compared to 'untrained' mice with the same type of tumor", they detail.

Both acknowledge that "exercise was not prescribed before, let alone prescribed, for children with cancer, nor is it now."

And it is that, according to the Foundation's data,

The first center to join this initiative was the La Paz Hospital in Madrid, but, according to José Carreño, president of the Unoentrecienmil Foundation, "there are 48 more hospitals ahead that care for children with cancer in our country."

"The most likely, in terms of impact, is that

, so that positive results can be obtained in the shortest possible time" Carreno points out.

Adaptation to each patient

But, what type of physical activity is the most recommended for these young patients?

Lucía and Fiuza have it clear: "In general, everyone.

and continue practicing during the treatment - as far as possible - the type of exercise or sport that they like the most. ".

At the same time, they clarify "that

."

That is why they always apply "exercise programs designed and closely supervised by specialists in the field (graduates in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences with experience in pediatric cancer)," they point out.

Ideally, they say, "it would be that children and adolescents with cancer meet the

."

That is to say: "Perform at least one hour a day of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise - for example, 'active play', walking, cycling - and about three weekly sessions of exercises to strengthen muscles and bones, for example, weight training".

This physical activity is not only advisable during the duration of the treatment, "it is recommended in everything that is the

of cancer. And it is especially important to continue with the exercise once cured, since

-even when they are adults over 30 years old- of the cancer treatment they received as children and the very sedentary lifestyle they followed during it, above all, an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases (including obesity)," the researchers warn.

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