HHS HealthBeat (March 06, 2009)

Being active with lung cancer

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Moderate exercise may help people with early stage lung cancer have a better quality of life.

Elliot Coups of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia bases that on survey data from 175 people who had completed surgical treatment in the previous six years.

[Elliot Coups speaks] ``Individuals who were more physically active reported better mood, more vigor, greater physical functioning, and experienced fewer problems with shortness of breath, which is a common problem among lung cancer survivors.’’

But he says only about 1 in 4 people engaged in sufficient activity to meet national guidelines for regular activity.

The study in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: March, 09 2009