Dr. Bradley on Exercise in Treatment-Related AE Management

Deborah A. Bradley, MD, medical oncologist, Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, discusses the importance of exercise in the management of prostate cancer treatment-related adverse events (AEs).

An area of prostate cancer that Bradley says needs more research is in terms of AE management for prostate cancer survivors. A lot of patients become very fatigued while undergoing therapy, and getting them up and exercising is an important way to overcome this. It is widely known that a common AE associated with chemotherapy is fatigue, but more work needs to be geared toward this. Bradley stressed that as therapy becomes more advanced, patient quality of life is a necessary important endpoint in clinical trials.

Additionally, as these therapies are moved into earlier settings, cardiac toxicity could become a factor. If a patient’s testosterone is being suppressed for such an extended period of time, researchers have to better understand the long-term AEs that could occur. Proper exercise regimens could be crucial here, as well.