Cabrini Research Annual Report 2020-21
Making an impact through cancer exercise research For a long time cancer care has focused largely on medical and pharmaceutical treatment strategies, such as radiation and chemotherapy, and will continue to do so as an important part of the cancer journey. However, we now know exercise can play an important supportive role in managing cancer related health outcomes and improving patient wellbeing. Exercise is associated with improved cancer survival in patients with breast, colon and prostate cancer. There is also evidence to support the efficacy of specific doses of exercise to address common cancer-related side effects, including cancer-related fatigue. Despite the increasing knowledge of the benefits of exercise for people living with and beyond cancer, key research gaps within the field of exercise oncology remain understudied. In 2021, Cabrini Research established a state-of-theart exercise laboratory that will investigate innovative approaches to improve the health and wellbeing of cancer patients and address current research gaps within the field. The exercise lab is part of the new Cabrini Cancer Institute facility located in the Cabrini Malvern hospital. Being integrated in the hospital, in the same space as patients, clinicians, clinical trials and allied health services, will fast track the translation of research findings from the lab into standard practice in the hospital and allow for an individualised approach to cancer care. Our aim is to see true bench to bedside translation, with on-site research findings directly informing personal exercise programs that can be conducted before, during and after cancer treatment. As a relatively new area in cancer research and being one of only a few hospitals in the world with an exercise lab dedicated to cancer patients, this will really
52
put Cabrini at the forefront of best-practice cancer care and improve outcomes for patients. There is potential for exercise oncology research to make an impact in many key areas. The focus of the new exercise lab includes: • Understanding the clinical benefits of exercise across all phases of the cancer continuum from screening and diagnosis to survivorship and end-of-life care • Conducting clinical trials to study the effect of structured and individualised exercise on physical and mental health outcomes before, during and after treatment in a broad range of cancer types • Understanding the potential for exercise to improve cancer treatment tolerability and response as well as recovery upon treatment completion • Exploring the role of exercise in improving survival following a cancer diagnosis • Fostering the delivery of best-practice exercise programming and support as a part of standard cancer care To do world leading research that improves cancer patient outcomes requires exceptional researchers who are leaders and at the forefront of the exercise oncology research field. Cabrini Research is extremely excited to welcome Dr Eva Zopf and Kelcey Bland. Kelcey recently joined us in June of 2021, and Eva will join us after her maternity leave. We invite you to read further about their research careers and where they hope to take cancer exercise research at Cabrini in the future.
