The value of exercise for cancer patients is increasingly well documented. In 2018, Associate Professor Prue Cormie, an accredited exercise physiologist explained that 26 cancer organisations were calling for exercise to be prescribed to all cancer patients as part of routine cancer care.
See The Conversation – every cancer patient should be prescribed exercise medicine
A further article by Dr Ranjana Srivastava, an Australian oncologist, was published in the Guardian Australia in 2023. It explains the benefits of exercise for cancer patients, including longevity: ‘Exercise is the prescription that every cancer patient deserves – and one they’re in control of’.
Anecdotally too, we hear from MPN patients that exercise significantly improves feelings of fatigue, as counter intuitive as that sounds.
A 2023 study in the UK highlights incidental vigorous activity being linked to lower cancer risks. ‘Climb the stairs, lug the shopping, chase the kids. Incidental vigorous activity linked to lower cancer risks’ (article courtesy of ‘The Conversation’).
MPN-FIT: an exercise study specific to MPN patients
MPN-FIT was a randomized controlled pilot trial of supervised exercise in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms. It was reported on in 2026 and further reinforces general findings about the benefits of exercise for cancer patients. Researchers found a ‘significant reduction in lactate dehydrogenase levels (LDH)’ in the intervention group.’ ‘Patients interviewed described positive effects of the intervention on symptoms and would unanimously recommend the program to others with MPN. In this pilot study, supervised exercise was feasible, acceptable, and showed potential benefits on inflammatory/disease markers.’
A link to the full study is free to access HERE.
All of this reinforces existing advice from haematologists that exercise is very beneficial for MPN patients and helps fight fatigue.
Important: Haematologists also caution however to be sure to check with your GP and haematologist before launching on any new programme and start slowly and gently if you have not exercised before or for some length of time.
