Jankowski, Dwyer, Risendal publish on effects of exercise for cancer patients

A new article on maintaining the positive effects of exercise for cancer survivors has been co-authored by a group including CU colleagues Catherine Jankowski, associate professor, College of Nursing; CU Cancer Center Integration Manager and Project Director Andrea Dwyer; and Betsy Risendal, assistant research professor, Colorado School of Public Health.

“Searching for Maintenance in Exercise Interventions for Cancer Survivors” recently was published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice.

The authors surveyed published studies of adult cancer survivors to learn more about the maintenance of changes in health outcomes after the completion of exercise programs and how to maintain effective training. This approach was used to address a broader dissemination and implementation question, “What is known about the maintenance of exercise interventions for cancer survivors that would inform translation from research to practice and community settings?”

Their conclusion was two-fold. For cancer survivors, the beneficial effects of exercise training are maintained for a few months after the end of a structured exercise program. However, little is known about how to sustain exercise programs for cancer survivors outside of the research setting.

This latest work is an extension of Jankowski’s continuing research on encouraging and maintaining physical activity during aging, cancer survivorship and chronic disease.