EN 
VI How it all began…
Even from her childhood, Nancy Howe has always been an active girl. However, luck did not favour her when the head and neck cancer struck, causing Nancy to undergo an extremely difficult surgery and 7 weeks of radiation therapy. As a result, she suffered a large amount of muscle loss, along with the endless fatigue due to side effects of treatment.
The doctor’s prescription of post-surgery rest and abstinence from exercise was like cold water for Nancy, causing her to really consider between her exercise routine and the rest due to cancer treatment. However, thanks to her passion for physical activity, Nancy did not want to give up. She thought that her condition would probably improve significantly if she maintained her exercise routine, so she started going back to the gym.
Taking baby steps and persevere
As passionate as she is, Nancy is still just a cancer patient in the recovery stage. Due to her limited physical strength, there are days when she can only ride a bicycle for a few minutes, or walk short distances. Even so, she persisted with her plan, and it was these small habits that led to Nancy having a faster and more favorable treatment process than other patients. “I feel full of energy, haven’t lost as much muscle as before, and this has helped me recover more easily from radiation therapy,” Nancy shared.
I feel full of energy, haven't lost as much muscle as before, and this has helped me recover more easily from radiation therapy.
There is now solid evidence for the effectiveness of exercise in reducing the risk of some cancers, and in reducing mortality if patients are diagnosed with certain forms of cancer. Studies show that exercise can induce a large amount of immune cells such as natural killer cells (NK cells), T cells and B cells that help improve the immune system. In addition, forms of exercise such as walking, jogging, cycling and other forms such as lifting weights or using resistance bands can help patients gain muscle, lose fat and shorten the course of treatment. Not only does it help improve physical health, exercise during and after cancer treatment also helps patients reduce fatigue, anxiety and maintain their mental health.
However, the post-treatment training process is highly individualized, and not everyone can exercise with high frequency immediately after treatment. You can start by walking, taking light dance classes, and talking to a medical professional about your personal recovery process!
Translation from:
https://www.webmd.com/…/exercise-treatment-for-cancer
Article written by Nguyen Chau Anh