Exercise and cancer

What is physical activity?

Being physically active means any movement that uses your muscles and more energy than when you’re resting. Being physically active doesn’t have to mean joining a gym or an exercise class. It can also be walking to the shops, walking up the stairs, gardening or dancing.

Physical activity can also be of a:

• moderate intensity – this is when the activity makes you feel warmer and breathe faster, but you can still talk. For example, brisk walking, cycling, swimming, gardening or housework

• vigorous intensity – this is an activity that raises your heart rate and makes you start to sweat and feel out of breath. For example, running, aerobics, netball, football and fast cycling

Why is being physically active important?

Reducing the risk of cancer coming back or growing

Some research shows that being more physically active may help to reduce the risk of:

• some cancers coming back

• some ​stage​ 1 cancers from growing further

Other factors that may reduce the risk of cancer coming back are:

• how much body fat you have

• your diet

• the amount of alcohol you drink

Reducing the risk of dying from cancer

Physical activity after diagnosis may reduce the risk of dying from the following cancers:

• breast

• bowel

• prostate

• cervix, womb and ovarian

There is also some research showing that being more sedentary after a diagnosis of bowel, prostate or kidney cancer is linked with a higher risk of dying from cancer. Some of this evidence is from single studies. So we need more research to confirm this.

Improving survival

Structured physical activity can improve the chances of surviving colon cancer. Cancer survival means the percentage of people still alive after a particular amount of time. A 2025 study showed that people survived their cancer for longer if they:

• were supported in an exercise programme over 3 years

• started the programme soon after having ​adjuvant​ chemotherapy

Read more on the Cancer Research UK Cancer News page

Reducing the risk of getting certain cancers

Moderate and vigorous physical activity may reduce the risk of cancers of the:

• bowel (colon only)

• breast – in women who have had their menopause (postmenopausal)

• womb (endometrium)

Vigorous physical activity may also reduce the risk of breast cancer in women who haven’t had their menopause (premenopausal).

Research is still ongoing on why this might be, but most of the benefits of physical activity are linked to being a healthy weight.

Read more about physical activity and reducing the risk of getting cancer

Clinical trials

Researchers are interested in finding out more about exercise and cancer.  

They are looking at how exercise can improve survival in people with lung, breast and bowel cancer. This study is also looking at how exercise reduces the chances of these cancers coming back. People taking part receive a personalised exercise programme shortly after they have finished cancer treatment.

In another study, researchers are using a mobile ​app​ for physical activity to help people with breast, prostate, or bowel cancer become more active. People taking part will also receive support and guidance from specialists.

Read more about clinical trials on exercise and cancer

How physical activity can help you cope better

Being physically active has several benefits for people with cancer. These include:

• reducing anxiety

• improving depression

• improving sleep quality and reducing difficulty falling or staying asleep (insomnia)

• reducing fatigue and pain

• improving your overall enjoyment of life (quality of life)

• improving body strength

• reducing treatment side effects such as heart changes, nerve changes (peripheral neuropathy) during or after chemotherapy, thinking problems (cognitive impairment) and shortness of breath

• improving physical health in women with breast cancer who develop lymphoedema (a type of swelling caused by treatment to lymph nodes)

• improving general physical functioning

Researchers think that adding exercise to cancer treatment plans could help people cope better, but more research is needed. This will help us know how exactly exercise helps and to provide exercise prescriptions according to the type of cancer you have.

Some early studies show that physical activity may help treatment work better, but we need more research to understand this better.

How much exercise should I do?

It is difficult to write exercise guidelines to cover everyone. Everyone is different in terms of how much exercise they can do. And there are many types of cancer and treatments. The UK government and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) have suggestions for preventing cancer and other conditions. They say that all adults should try to be physically active every day. This includes people with cancer.

Moderate and vigorous activity

Try to do at least one of the following ways of exercising or a combination of both:

• 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week, for example, 30 minutes 5 times per week. An example of how to make up 30 minutes of exercise includes:

           in the morning: housework – 5 minutes            in the afternoon: walk to the shop or walk the dog – 20 minutes            throughout the day: walk up and down the stairs – 5 minutes

• 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week

Strength (resistance) training

All adults should also try and do strength (resistance) training twice a week. These are exercises that build muscle strength and endurance by working against resistance. Examples include:

• weight lifting

• bodyweight exercises

• resistance band workouts – using exercise elastic bands to create resistance

• carrying heavy shopping

Balance and flexibility activities

Adults should also try to improve their balance and flexibility (stretching) twice a week. Balance activities improve stability, coordination and prevent falls. Examples include:

• Tai Chi

• single leg exercises such as standing on one leg while brushing your teeth

• stability ball exercises – using a large inflatable ball to exercise

Read more about balance exercises on the NHS website

Flexibility activities improve the range of motion of muscles and joints, helping with mobility and injury prevention. Examples include:

• yoga

• static stretching – holding a stretch in a fixed position for 15 to 60 seconds

• dynamic stretching – doing controlled movements through a full range of motion

Read more about flexibility exercises on the NHS website

Reduce the time that you are sedentary

Adults should also try to reduce the amount of time they are sedentary. This means watching TV or working on a computer for long hours without a break. Try to break up these periods of inactivity with light physical activity.

Getting started

‘If you can, exercise with friends. Greater motivation, more support, more fun. You’d be amazed how many people will get involved, not out of pity but because they want to. Amazing what you talk about when exercising - very therapeutic for everyone.’ - Patrick

It's fine to start being more active whether:

• you have just been diagnosed

• you're having treatment

• you have recently finished treatment

How much you do depends on how fit you are generally. You can start by making a few small changes. For example, you could start by walking around your house or walking around the block or even getting off the bus one stop early.

If you aren't very physically active, you'll need to build up gradually. If you do too much one day, you might feel very tired and sore the next day. Don't feel that you always have to do more than yesterday. Some days you'll have more energy than others.

Start with short chunks (10 to 15 minutes) of gentle activity. Then, gradually build up until you reach your target.

Try to stay active. You can break up periods of rest with activities around the house, for example, mowing the lawn or ironing.

Find activities that are enjoyable, as you are more likely to stick to them. But try not to let past lack of activity put you off starting altogether. Gentle walking or swimming is fine for just about everyone. You can still build up day by day.

You can also join the charity Move Against Cancer. They help people living with cancer to get active with others.

Read more on the Move Against Cancer website

Read about how to be more active

When to avoid certain types of physical activity

People with certain types of cancer or having particular treatments might need to avoid some types of exercise. There are some situations where you need to take extra care.

Cancer affecting your bones

If you have cancer affecting your bones, you might be more at risk of a break or fracture. You must avoid putting too much strain on the affected bones. Avoid exercises causing a twist in your spine, such as:

• yoga style twists

• using the rowing machine

• swinging in golf and tennis

Low immunity

People with low immunity due to treatment should try to avoid exercising in public gyms. Ask your medical team when it is safe to start exercising in the gym with other people. This doesn’t mean you can’t be physically active in other ways.

Peripheral neuropathy

Some people have a loss of sensation, or feelings of pins and needles, in their hands and feet. This can be due to cancer treatments. It is called peripheral neuropathy. If you have this, it might be better to use a stationary bike than to do other types of weight bearing exercise.

After certain types of surgery

After certain types of surgery, you might have to wait before you can exercise like you used to. Or if you have had surgery that caused permanent changes, you may need to take certain precautions. For example, you have a ​colostomy​ or ​urostomy​ after surgery. Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse for advice on what types of exercise you can do.

Increased risk of skin cancers

Some people may need to take extra care in the sun when exercising outside. These include those:

• with a diagnosis of melanoma skin cancer

• with cancer where there is a risk of it spreading to the skin

Read more about sun safety