Exercise Can Help Women Avoid Some Radiation Side Effects

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• Topic: Diagnosis, Radiation Therapy, Exercise, and Side Effects
• Tags: Radiation to the Breast, Radiation After Surgery (Adjuvant), Whole-Breast External Radiation, Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, Invasive or Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma, Invasive or Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma, Planning/Considering Radiation, Weakness, Manage Side Effects with Exercise, and Physical Benefits

Anemia is one of several side effects that radiation can cause. While small, a study found that exercise helped women avoid anemia. This is another reason for women diagnosed with breast cancer to include moderate exercise as a part of their recovery and care.

Other studies have shown that moderate exercise can help improve recovery and lower the risk of breast cancer coming back (recurrence). But it can be hard to start exercising. Walking three times a week may sound impossible if you're sore from surgery, or exhausted from radiation or chemotherapy. It's hard to force yourself to exercise when you barely have enough energy to get out of bed or off the sofa. If you're being treated for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about how you can make moderate exercise a part of your treatment plan.

To learn how you can incorporate exercise into your life, visit our Exercise section.

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