Insight

Vicki Durston: Sarah Lee flying the flag for the benefits of exercise in living well with MBC

Photo taken from Vicki Durston/LinkedIn

Sep 4, 2024, 06:49

Vicki Durston: Sarah Lee flying the flag for the benefits of exercise in living well with MBC

Vicki Durston, President of the General Assembly and Board Member of ABC Global Alliance, shared on LinkedIn:

“We are honored to highlight Sarah Lee’s incredible strength and resilience as she lives well with metastatic breast cancer. Alongside advocating for timely access to new treatments this week , Sarah is also a strong advocate for incorporating exercise to support her living well.

With her upcoming goal of running a 50 km marathon for her 50th birthday in 2025, Sarah is truly flying the flag for the benefits of exercise in living well with MBC. Sarah has run 10 marathons and one only last week in Adelaide .

Vicki Durston

The Preferable Effect Study, presented at MASCC in Lille France earlier this year with contributions from leading clinical researchers in Australia, further emphasises the positive impact of exercise oncology on the quality of life for patients like Sarah living with MBC .
The outcomes of this study and the message physical exercise both during and after curative cancer treatment has been shown to reduce side effects.

Evidence in the metastatic cancer setting is scarce, and interventions that improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are much needed for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The multinational randomized controlled PREFERABLE-EFFECT trial assessed the effects of exercise on fatigue and HRQOL in patients with MBC.

In total, 357 patients with MBC and a life expectancy of ≥6 months but without unstable bone metastases were recruited at eight study centers across five European countries and Australia.
The study found that the nine-month intervention was not only effective but may have encouraged longer-term compliance as well. Based on these findings, it has been suggested that physicians and nurses should routinely recommend supervised exercise to patients with metastatic breast cancer and that policymakers and insurance companies should ensure cost coverage for exercise programs.

One of a number of leading experts in the field Lauren Whiting in Adelaide this week hosted us at Lift Cancer Care Services as we spoke to the Minister about the importance of prescribing exercise for people with cancer.

We are on the cusp of real change as we continue to advocate for prescribed exercise.”

Vicki Durston