Moving Through Cancer: An Exercise and Strength-Training Program for the Fight of Your Life - Empowers Patients and Caregivers in 5 Steps

by Kathryn Schmitz

Cancer diagnosis and treatment doesn't have to be a passive experience, and it shouldn't be. Dr. Kathryn Schmitz's Moving Through Cancer introduces a 21-day program of strength training and exercise for cancer prevention and recovery.

Go from diagnosis to thriving with this empowering guide to using strength training and exercise to improve your mental and physical health before, during, and after cancer diagnosis and treatment.

This groundbreaking program will show you how to use exercise and movement to:

• Recover more quickly from surgery
• Withstand chemotherapy (or other drug treatments) or radiation with fewer side effects
• Bounce back to daily life following cancer treatments
• Prevent loss of function or fitness due to treatment
• Return to work more quickly or stay at work throughout treatment
• Protect against late side effects of treatment that come years after diagnosis

Leading exercise oncology researcher Dr. Kathryn Schmitz shows you how to prepare for cancer treatment and begin regularly exercising in just 21 days using five key steps: Move, Lift, Eat, Sleep, and Log. Both informative and practical, Moving Through Cancer explains the science of healing and prevention and delivers a paradigm-shifting message for patients, doctors, and caregivers about using exercise to live with and beyond cancer.

FOR READERS OF: Anticancer Living and The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen.

A PRACTITIONER AND CAREGIVER: Dr. Kathryn Schmitz is a pracademic (practitioner + academic) and a caregiver: In 2010, the publication of one of her trials in The New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association overturned years of entrenched dogma and conventional wisdom that told breast cancer survivors to avoid upper body exercise. In 2016, Dr. Schmitz's wife, Sara, was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma—she is currently NED (no evidence of disease) and cancer free. Moving Through Cancer is inspired by Dr. Schmitz's professional and personal experience with cancer.

HELPS PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO COMBAT THE POWERLESSNESS OF THE CANCER JOURNEY: Dr. Schmitz's empowering message will not only resonate with anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer but with their family and loved ones as well. Dr. Schmitz is able to give life back to readers by providing results that include better sleep, better sex, less chemo brain, reduced nausea, and improved recovery.

PARADIGM-SHIFTING PROTOCOL: Moving Through Cancer is the center of Dr. Schmitz's campaign to have doctors prescribing exercise to cancer patients as common practice by 2029.

THE FIRST MAINSTREAM EXERCISE-FOR-CANCER BOOK: Until now, exercise-for-cancer books have been limited to academic approaches or one-cancer-specific (breast) or one-exercise specific (yoga, pilates) books. Moving Through Cancer is for all cancer patients and survivors and their caregivers.

GREAT FOR THE CLASSROOM: Students and teachers will want to use these techniques in their classrooms to provide a better understanding of how to treat cancer patients.

Perfect for: 18+, Health enthusiasts, rehab, exercise, academia, medical professionals

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2021

About the author

Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, FACSM, is the director of the Oncology, Nutrition, and Exercise group at the Penn State Cancer Institute and the past president at the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Schmitz has made it her personal mission to use exercise for cancer prevention and recovery, for all cancers. Her work has been covered by numerous media outlets, including Good Morning America, the New York Times, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A practical, science-based book with exercises, and activities, focussed on maintaining as much strength as possible before during and after cancer treatment. Good balance of the “why” and “how”.

[DANIEL MONTGOMERY · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I'd like to publicly thank Dr. Schmitz for sending me an advanced copy of her book so that I could read it prior to my 6 months of chemo! From my rudimentary research, this appears to be the first true "user-friendly" book that uses (rapidly emerging) science to focus on the benefits of exercising during cancer treatment

The book starts out with a bit of insight on how the medical field has historically viewed the importance of "moving through cancer" (they advised against it), and how that view has been debunked through studies over the past couple of decades. To me, this established Dr. Schmitz and the content in this book as very credible & rooted in "real science".

The majority of the remainder of the book focuses more specifically on suggestions and step-by-step instructions for how to effectively exercise during various cancer treatments, such as chemo, radiation, and surgery. Since I only had chemo, I focused on that chapter and skimmed much of the rest (although the chapter on nutrition is also definitely of value for everyone!)

The book is written for the whole range of exercise "literacy", so as a relatively experienced athlete, while I found some of the exercises interesting, I mostly focused on the ideas "in concept" and applied those to my physical fitness routine as I went through my treatment.

I believe that many of the things recommended by Dr. Schmitz - like going on a walk each morning to get my heartrate up, or going on a light bike ride in the PM/getting in some lifting to maintain my lean muscle mass - were absolutely essential to how well I was able to tolerate chemo.

I would highly recommend that anyone and everyone who has to go through cancer treatment read this book and take to heart the message that maintaining an adequate level of physical fitness throughout cancer treatment will improve your quality of life - and might just save it, in the end.

[Kassie]

A great read for anyone recently diagnosed. This book is both informative and for me, it was grounding to know that the feeling of WTF happens next is almost universal.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Move, Lift, Eat, Sleep, and Log.

Five critical steps used in the 21-day groundbreaking program were introduced by leading exercise oncology researcher Dr. Kathryn Schmitz. Moving Through Cancer emphasizes how strength training, exercise and the right kind of food can improve mental and physical health before, during and after cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Very informative and practical, Moving Through Cancer explains the science of healing and prevention and delivers a paradigm-shifting message for patients, doctors, and caregivers about using movements and the proper nutrition to live with and beyond cancer.

Go from diagnosis to thriving with this empowering guide!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, written by an expert in the area of exercise and oncology, walks people with cancer and their caregivers through five things within their control (aerobic exercise, strength training, nutrition, sleep, and logging your progress / symptoms) that can improve their experience of different cancer treatments and their cancer survivorship. The book is rooted in evidence-based research and gives practical and easily customizable advice for what to do before your treatment starts; after surgery during chemotherapy, radiation, and hormonal therapies; after reconstructive surgery; post-treatment; and during survivorship. While the author does a reasonably good job of including people living with metastatic cancer within relevant chapters, the book is definitely focused on people with early stage disease that is being treated with an intent to cure. While this may sound a little dry, Dr. Schmitz has an engaging and conversational writing style and she includes stories from people living with cancer, cancer researchers, and (most powerfully) her own story as a caregiver for her wife, who was diagnosed with a stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma in her nose that required aggressive treatment and multiple ultimately unsuccessful reconstructive surgeries. The chapter on caregivers is particularly vulnerable and dives deep into the author's experience caring for her wife and the things she learned. I have never been particularly athletic but as someone living with metastatic breast cancer who has had pretty much every type of treatment listed in this book I have found that exercise helps with my fatigue and joint pain, although I do really have to listen to my body more closely than I did pre-cancer. Reading this book was really motivating to me to start building back up my exercise routine and stamina after a recent progression and change in treatment. Highly recommended for cancer-havers of any type and stage, and this would be a great gift if you know someone who has been recently diagnosed.

[Healthypedia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn about the power of exercise in cancer treatment with 'Moving Through Cancer,' defying traditional beliefs and transforming the way we approach the disease.

In the past, the prevailing belief was that cancer patients should avoid physical activity and conserve their energy for fighting the disease. Even when experts from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) gathered ten years ago to promote exercise as safe for cancer patients, their primary message was focused on convincing medical professionals that physical activity was not harmful during treatment.

However, a decade later, the perspective drastically shifted. The new message from ACSM highlighted the dangers of not exercising during cancer treatment, emphasising that patients may be harming themselves by avoiding physical activity. Understanding the crucial importance of incorporating exercise into the cancer treatment journey is the main topic of ‘Moving Through Cancer: An Exercise and Strength-Training Program for the Fight of Your Life’.


Author’s background

Mary Kathryn Haltiwanger Schmitz is an American exercise physiologist, currently serving as the Associate Director of Population Sciences at Penn State University College of Medicine and a Full Professor at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

She started her career at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and later moved to the University of Pennsylvania due to its strong exercise physiology program. Schmitz conducted research on women with lymphedema and strength training, finding positive effects on symptoms, strength, body fat percentage, and quality of life.

Her work focused on the connection between physical activity and diseases, leading to studies on the effectiveness of YMCA memberships combined with supervised strength training classes for overweight and obese women, and a randomised trial of weight lifting for breast cancer survivors.

As an associate professor, Schmitz established the SHE study (Strong, Healthy and Empowered), demonstrating that resistance exercise slows middle-age weight gain. She also played a key role in developing exercise guidelines for cancer survivors and received recognition for her lymphedema research.

She led a trial examining the relationship between lymphedema and weight loss in overweight breast cancer survivors as part of a $10 million grant from the National Cancer Institute. In 2017, Schmitz was elected president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine and was nominated for UPenn’s Innovator of the Year Award.


What is the book about?

The book opens with a valuable perspective on how the medical field’s historical advice against exercising during cancer has been debunked by scientific studies over the years, establishing the credibility of Dr. Schmitz and the book’s content.

It provides step-by-step instructions and practical suggestions for effectively exercising during various cancer treatments, making it a valuable resource for anyone undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. While the book caters to all levels of exercise experience, including seasoned athletes, the concepts and ideas presented are helpful in adapting one’s fitness routine during treatment.


Key takeaways from ‘Moving Through Cancer’

1. Exercise and movement can bring great benefits to people living with cancer

The book ‘Moving Through Cancer’ emphasiaes the well-established benefits of exercise for cancer patients and survivors. Research dating back to 1938 has shown the positive impact of physical activity on cancer outcomes. More recent studies have demonstrated that exercise can reduce the risk of cancer-specific mortality and improve overall quality of life.

Various studies have shown that exercise during cancer treatment can change the trajectory of the disease, slow tumour growth, and increase the chances of survival. Specific exercise programs have been developed to address various cancer-related issues, such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, physical function, bone health, sleep, and lymphedema.

2. Cancer-related fatigue is extremely severe, but exercise is the most effective way to combat it

Cancer-related fatigue is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment. Patients often describe it as an overwhelming exhaustion that affects both physical and mental energy. Unlike regular tiredness, rest may not alleviate cancer fatigue. The exact cause of cancer fatigue is not fully understood, but it can result from treatment or cancer itself.

Despite the extreme fatigue experienced by cancer patients, exercise is considered the most effective treatment for combatting this fatigue. Numerous studies have shown that exercise significantly reduces fatigue and improves vitality. Exercise has even outperformed drug interventions for fatigue.

3. It’s very important to maintain the motivation to move

Finding motivation to exercise during cancer treatment can be challenging, but it is crucial for reaping the benefits. Personal motivations differ for each individual, and identifying them is essential for staying committed to an exercise regimen.

Using techniques like motivational interviewing, individuals can discover their reasons for change and create a list of factors driving their desire to exercise. The ‘10-minute’ rule is a widely accepted approach among cancer patients who exercise during and after treatment. A patient should simply start exercising, and if they feel better after 10 minutes, then continue. If they feel worse, then they should stop. When motivation drops, it’s great to revisit the list of motivations for exercising and consider the small steps one can take to keep themselves on track.

4. Keeping a log of activities is also crucial during training

It helps track progress and recognise patterns in how cancer and treatments affect one’s activities and well-being. The log provides insights into energy levels and helps establish a new normal during various phases of a cancer-treatment journey.

5. Using SMART goals is good for setting exercise objective

It’s recommended to use the SMART formula for setting exercise objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This approach breaks down one’s goals into manageable pieces, making them less overwhelming and more achievable.

It’s better to choose exercises you enjoy, as any form of activity is better than none. Even small movements or occasional physical work can contribute to fitness during cancer treatment.

Another good piece of advice is to exercise with a friend or family member for increased motivation, enjoyment, and better results. Exercising outdoors, known as ‘forest bathing,’ has proven benefits, such as improved mood, self-esteem, and reduced tension.

6. It’s better to start resistance training before treatment

During cancer treatment, healthy cells play a vital role in supporting recovery, but their effectiveness depends on the energy available. If a patient starts treatment with a higher fitness level, their body will have more resources to deal with the challenges, preventing the losses in fitness typically seen during treatment.

Training before treatment focuses on gaining and maintaining muscle mass, which is crucial for providing energy reserves during treatment and aiding in recovery afterwards.

The goal is not solely to increase strength, but to build muscle mass, as muscles atrophy if not used. Having more muscle at the start of treatment ensures that a patient has some energy reserves to cope with the physical demands. Resistance exercise is essential before treatment to build and preserve muscle mass. This preparation period offers an opportunity to take control of one’s body and prepare it for the challenges ahead.

7. Correct Eating becomes a part of the medical plan for those in treatment

During cancer treatment and survivorship, practical nutrition tips include focusing on long-term healthy choices while enjoying food and not getting stressed over occasional indulgences.

It’s recommended to enlist friends or family to help with healthy meal options, utilise meal delivery services, and stay hydrated with various fluids. Patients should prioritise fruits and vegetables, experiment with new ones, and simplify shopping lists. It’s ok to consider meal replacements for sufficient protein intake. Patients should aim for stable weight and be systematic in testing problematic foods for gastrointestinal issues. It’s good to try cooking to boost self-efficacy and creativity and cultivate a connection to food by growing your own.


Strengths and weaknesses, according to readers’ reviews

Strengths:
• The book is very informative, real, motivating, and empowering.
• The writing strikes a good balance between interesting scientific information and touching personal stories.
• Includes practical advice and exercises.
• Can be a great read for different audiences, including patients, caregivers and professionals.

Weaknesses:
• The content primarily mentions traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, but it overlooks the significant impact of immunotherapy, a revolutionary approach that has rapidly transformed the landscape of cancer treatment over the past five years.
• The book’s case studies and interviews predominantly feature women and don’t provide much information on men.


Best quotes from ‘Moving Through Cancer’

“There is no way to guarantee what your experience as a cancer patient will be, but I can guarantee that moving – getting some exercise, even just a little bit – will make you feel better. Study after study has shown that exercise leads to better quality of life, fitness, energy, and strength.”

“It is a very common experience to feel angry after a cancer diagnosis. You can feel like your body has let you down. This is true of everyone, but might be particularly true for people who are fit, have a normal weight, and eat a healthy diet. They feel like they’ve done everything right and yet they still got cancer.”

“This is the nature of cancer. It is filled with uncertainty. It is a blur of anxiety and confusion. It is a total loss of control over your body. It’s being forced to make decisions without feeling like you understand them. It’s realizing that you don’t even know the questions you should be asking. And even the very best doctors in the world do not know what your journey as a cancer patient is going to be.”


Final takeaway

‘Moving Through Cancer’ by Dr. Kathryn Schmitz is a compelling and motivating read that emphasises the necessity of overcoming oneself and engaging in physical exercise during the challenging journey of cancer treatment. The book underscores the transformative power of exercise in combating cancer-related fatigue and improving overall well-being. By sharing inspiring case studies and expert insights, it highlights the importance of staying active even amidst the physical and emotional struggles of cancer treatment. The book’s approachable and evidence-based guidance empowers readers to embrace exercise as an essential tool for managing the side effects of cancer treatment, enhancing vitality, and regaining a sense of control over their bodies and lives. It serves as a valuable resource, encouraging individuals to embark on a journey of self-discovery and resilience, finding strength and hope through movement during their cancer battle.

[Bonni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have a cancer diagnosis or a friend struggling with cancer, but I know how important exercise is to my overall health. I picked this book up, looking for an easy-to-follow, not-too-intense program to get me into daily exercise because making myself walk on the treadmill for twenty minutes a day isn't working out. I expected to flip through the book to find some simple-to-understand and accomplish exercise routines that involve little equipment. I ended up reading the whole book. What an excellent and encouraging resource for sound advice through any cancer stage. In addition, it provides sound advice for good overall health regardless of diagnosis. I'm glad I didn't let the word, "cancer," in the title push me away.

[Nastya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a useful source of information. For me as a yoga instructor it also has enough info to consider and learn (I want to instruct more accessible yoga and study Yoga Therapy). Was surprised not to see the mention of yoga (asana and pranayama) in the book, as a way of alternative practice.
Like 90% non-fiction there is some repetition (which make sense here, if the book is not read from start to finish, but in relatable chunks). Also, there is no variability: just 5 lifting exercises, just several for a chair movement, or near a wall. If one is looking for advice on exercising before, during and after treatment, but is a beginner, it is a good place to start. The exercise plan might be less useful for those who exercise on a regular basis already and careful with their regime (food, sleep); still, has something to offer them as well.
UPD: I checked that moving through cancer (in one word) dot com page offers some alternatives to the exercise presented in the book.

[Melinda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to reference for exercise programs before, during, and after each cancer treatment phase. It not only provides programs and guidance, but there are logs you can use to track your behaviors. My only regret is not reading this book sooner, so that I had known the benefits of literally “moving through cancer” during my earlier phases of treatment and having a better guide of specific exercises and building up a program while dealing with my side effects. The author has the right credentials and also has a personal story to share of her experiences with cancer as a caretaker.

[Ctrcynde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provided a lot of helpful information! Would definitely recommend!!

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Lines up with the exercise program my physical therapist has me on.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoopla ebook
3.5, rounded up.
Good studies to back up the facts.