For many women battling breast cancer, chemotherapy can be as exhausting as it is life-saving. Fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and emotional strain often accompany treatment, leaving patients physically and mentally depleted. A new study, however, highlights a powerful tool to help women navigate this challenging period: exercise.
Researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, conducted a large meta-analysis showing that physical activity during chemotherapy significantly improves quality of life. The findings, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, synthesize data from more than two dozen studies of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
“Chemotherapy places stress on every system in the body,” said LaShae D. Rolle, MPH, CPH, lead author of the study and a predoctoral fellow at Sylvester. “Quality of life becomes a central outcome during treatment, not something to consider only after it ends.”
Exercise Benefits Go Beyond Strength
While exercise after cancer treatment is widely recommended, its impact during chemotherapy has been less clear — leaving patients uncertain whether movement might worsen fatigue or help recovery. This new analysis provides clarity.
The Sylvester team reviewed 21 randomized controlled trials, encompassing over 3,000 women. The studies covered various exercise interventions, including:
- Aerobic activity such as walking or cycling
- Strength or resistance training
- Combined programs incorporating both aerobic and strength exercises
Across all types of activity, women who participated in structured exercise programs reported notable improvements in physical, emotional, and mental well-being compared with those receiving standard care alone.
“It’s not about pushing through exhaustion,” Rolle explained. “It’s about finding movement that supports the body while it’s under strain.”
Flexibility Is Key During Treatment
Importantly, the study found no single exercise type to be superior. Aerobic, resistance, and combined programs all delivered meaningful quality-of-life improvements. This flexibility is especially valuable during chemotherapy, when patients’ energy levels can vary daily.
“Exercise during treatment shouldn’t feel rigid or intimidating,” said Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, co-author of the study and director of lifestyle medicine, prevention, and digital health at Sylvester. “Patients can benefit from many different forms of movement, as long as the approach is safe, personalized, and realistic.”
Supporting Patients During Active Treatment
The study focused specifically on women undergoing active chemotherapy, rather than long-term survivors. Exercising during chemotherapy presents unique challenges, including fluctuating symptoms and treatment schedules. The findings align with clinical guidelines that encourage physical activity during treatment, with proper supervision and tailored adjustments.
“This evidence gives clinicians greater confidence to recommend exercise during chemotherapy,” Rolle said. “And it reassures patients that movement, at the right level, can be part of their care.”
As cancer treatment evolves, supportive strategies such as exercise are increasingly recognized as integral to holistic care.
“This work helps move exercise from the margins into the mainstream of oncology care,” Crane said. “It shows that any form of exercise during chemotherapy can positively impact the quality of life for women being treated for breast cancer.”
