Exercise During Chemotherapy Isn't Just Safe—It Measurably Improves Quality of Life

A major study of over 3,000 women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer found that structured exercise programs significantly improved quality of life during treatment, with benefits spanning physical, emotional, and mental health. The findings challenge the assumption that patients should rest completely during cancer treatment and offer hope to those navigating one of medicine's most demanding therapies.

Chemotherapy saves lives, but the cost is steep. Patients often experience crushing fatigue, loss of muscle mass that makes daily tasks feel impossible, and emotional strain that lingers long after each infusion. For years, the medical focus centered on survival rates—but increasingly, researchers and clinicians are asking a different question: How can we help patients feel better while they're being treated?

A new meta-analysis published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, led by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, synthesized results from more than two dozen studies to answer that question. The team analyzed 21 randomized controlled trials representing over 3,000 women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. Rather than focusing on a single type of exercise, they examined a wide range of movement interventions to see what actually worked.

What Types of Exercise Help During Chemotherapy?

One of the most reassuring findings is that no single exercise type emerged as superior. The research showed that multiple approaches delivered meaningful improvements in quality of life:

• Aerobic Exercise: Cardiovascular activities like brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, and dancing improved circulation and oxygen delivery to the brain and body.
• Strength Training: Weight lifting, bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats, and resistance band workouts helped patients maintain muscle mass and functional independence.
• Combined Programs: Structured routines mixing aerobic and strength components provided comprehensive benefits across multiple health domains.

This flexibility matters enormously during chemotherapy, when energy levels fluctuate unpredictably from day to day. "It's not about pushing through exhaustion," explained LaShae Rolle, M.P.H., CPH, lead author of the study and a predoctoral fellow at Sylvester. "It's about finding movement that supports the body while it's under strain".

How Does Exercise Improve Quality of Life During Cancer Treatment?

Chemotherapy is systemic by design—its effects ripple through muscles, nerves, the cardiovascular system, and the brain. Exercise works in the opposite direction, reconnecting those systems through movement. Research suggests that physical activity during treatment can help patients maintain independence during daily activities, reduce fatigue, preserve muscle mass, and improve emotional well-being.

"Exercise becomes a form of supportive care," said Dr. Tracy Crane, co-author of the study, co-leader of the Cancer Control Program, and director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health at Sylvester. "It's not about changing the cancer treatment. It's about improving how patients live through it".

Think of exercise during chemotherapy not as training for athletic performance, but as maintaining motion in a system under stress—keeping joints lubricated, muscles engaged, and the mind anchored when everything else feels disrupted. The meta-analysis confirms that those benefits translate into real improvements in how patients experience treatment across physical, emotional, and mental health dimensions.

Steps to Safely Exercise During Chemotherapy

• Personalize Your Approach: Work with your care team to choose exercise types that match your energy levels and treatment schedule. Aerobic, strength, or combined programs all work—pick what feels sustainable for you.
• Start Modest and Adjust: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, but break it into manageable sessions. Some days you'll do more; other days, gentle movement is enough.
• Combine Different Movement Types: Mix aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, cycling), strength training (weights or bodyweight exercises), and balance activities (yoga, tai chi) to challenge your body in multiple ways.
• Prioritize Consistency Over Intensity: Regular, moderate movement matters more than occasional intense workouts. Even 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week can deliver significant benefits.
• Seek Professional Guidance: Consult with your oncology team or a certified exercise specialist who understands cancer care to ensure your routine is safe and appropriate for your specific treatment.

The study focused exclusively on women undergoing active chemotherapy, not survivors months or years after treatment. That distinction matters because exercising during chemotherapy comes with unique challenges, including variability in symptoms, treatment schedules, and physical capacity. The findings support existing clinical guidelines that encourage physical activity during treatment, with appropriate supervision and 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".

What This Means for Breast Cancer Patients and Their Care Teams

Rather than prescribing rigid routines, the research supports a more patient-centered, flexible approach. The key takeaway is simple: movement during chemotherapy is not an added burden or a luxury. It's a legitimate form of supportive care that measurably improves how patients feel—physically, emotionally, and mentally—during one of life's most demanding chapters.

"Too often, exercise is treated as an extra during cancer treatment," Dr. Crane noted. "These findings make it clear that moving your body during chemotherapy—whatever that looks like for you—meaningfully improves quality of life for women being treated for breast cancer".

As cancer care continues to evolve, studies like this help integrate supportive strategies alongside medical treatment as essential components of whole-person care. For patients navigating chemotherapy, the message is clear: with appropriate guidance and flexibility, exercise can be a source of strength.