Exercise helps cancer patients

Even just 10 minutes of exercise a day can make all the difference in cancer treatment, a Taranaki nurse says.

Co-ordinator of urology and oncology at Taranaki Base Hospital Jenny Corban, with the help of the Cancer Society, is starting an exercise programme for men undergoing prostate cancer treatment.

‘‘Any one with cancer who exercises will have better outcomes, but we’re focusing on men with prostate cancer for this programme,’’ she said. ’’We chose to single out prostate cancer because it’s turning into a chronic disease rather than a death sentence, but the side effects from the treatment can be hard to deal with.’’

Corban said treatment for the cancer involved an injection every three months, which would eliminate testosterone in a man’s body.

‘‘Basically it gives them mood swings, hot flushes, degrades muscle making them weak and some men even grow breasts,’’ she said.

‘‘Because of the side effects

‘‘The side effects from the treatment can be hard to deal with.’’

Jenny Corban

men don’t feel like men and so the rate of anxiety and depression among men receiving this treatment is twice that of the normal public.’’

In order to combat the side effects of prostate cancer treatment Corban and Meg Rodel at the New Plymouth branch of the Cancer Society have teamed up to create an exercise group that will help reduce the severity of the treatment symptoms.

‘‘If you have cancer you should exercise,’’ Corban said.

‘‘You don’t have to be fit, it’s not about fitness it’s about improving the outcomes of the treatment.’’

Corban said in France cancer patients were actually prescribed exercise as part of their treatment.

‘‘We know exercise is good for us but it’s usually only thought about in terms of weight management,’’ she said.

The New Plymouth Cancer Society centre manager Meg Rodel said they would be helping financially with the programme.

‘‘I think it’s really important that money raised locally helps out with local charities,’’ she said. ’’This programme really is a manifestation of that goal.’’

Rodel said great could things could happen when community groups partnered up.

There are 10 spots available in the group and anyone interested should call Jenny Corban on 027 836 5739.