Can Activity Boost Mesothelioma Survival?

Exercise may be the last thing on your mind after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis, but you may want to adjust your thinking. A retrospective study has shown that regular physical activity may be a factor in quality of life and survival time in patients with lung disease. Though the study, published in the journal Cancer Nursing, focused on patients with lung cancer, its findings may be applicable for those with illnesses like mesothelioma which affect the lungs in similar ways.

Mesothelioma Experts Take Lessons from Korean Study 

Though the research conducted by Dr. Junga Lee did not include patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, its findings on the positive effects of physical activity may be useful to oncologists treating those with the rare, asbestos-related disease. Dr. Lee reviewed eleven previously conducted studies that encompassed the survival outcomes for more than six million lung cancer patients treated over nearly two decades. The research focused on the activity level pursued by these patients, and specifically correlated their walking speed, cardiorespiratory fitness and overall level of activity with survival time.

Though pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer are distinct illnesses that have many different characteristics, the commonalities between the two illnesses give rise to acute interest in Dr. Lee’s research on the part of mesothelioma researchers. Pleural mesothelioma is always considered a fatal illness, and anything that can extend patient survival and improve quality of life deserves careful consideration.

2.5 Hours of Activity A Week May Help Mesothelioma Patients

Dr. Lee’s research indicated that lung cancer patients who participated in physical activity more than 2.5 hours per week lived significantly longer than those who did not, and that may apply to mesothelioma patients too. Fast walking improves the heart and lung’s ability to supply oxygen to the body, and that cardiorespiratory fitness increased lung cancer patient survivorship. 

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, you know that small things can make a big difference. For more information on the help that’s available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at 1-800-692-8608.

Written by Terri Oppenheimer

Terri Heimann Oppenheimer is the head writer of our Mesothelioma.net news blog. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in English. Terri believes that knowledge is power and she is committed to sharing news about the impact of mesothelioma, the latest research and medical breakthroughs, and victims’ stories.

Learn more about and contact Terri