Prostate Cancer and Exercise Program

Prostate Cancer

Each year, almost 20,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and over 3,000 die from the disease.

Furthermore there are currently over 90,000 men living with prostate cancer in Australia. Typically men are diagnosed with prostate cancer later in life, and as a result have already experienced a loss of muscle mass, bone density and gained weight.

There are effective therapies for prostate cancer, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and endocrine therapy, but these can leave men with reduced function, quality of life, and an increased risk of other chronic diseases.

Side Effects of Treatment

Side effects of treatment can include:

• Fatigue
• Muscle wastage
• Bone loss
• Changes to metabolism and weight gain
• Increased risk of heart disease
• Sexual dysfunction

Benefits of Exercise

Research has shown that regular exercise reduces the severity of treatment-related side effects, improves feeling of well-being and quality of life, significantly improves cognitive function and reduces the risk of death from cancer and other chronic diseases. Regular exercise also gives you protection against heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, memory loss, colon cancer, fractures, and depression.

The exercise required for all of these benefits is at least moderate to vigorous and should be initiated in a structured exercise class individualised to your particular medical problems.

The Program

The program runs for 12–18 weeks depending on your health, exercise history and confidence in managing your own exercise program. The program provides a high level of supervision through two small group classes a week that run for 45 minutes.

The program is designed to:

• Improve muscle mass (strength)
• Maintain heart health
• Maintain bone density
• Prevent obesity and secondary diabetes
• Improve sexual function
• Reduce risk of death from any cause

The program consists of a mixture of strength, aerobic and functional exercises. Programs are designed based on your initial assessment prior to the program with the Exercise Physiologist. The intensity of the program will start at a light level and progress as you become more familiar with the exercises and physically stronger. Each program will have a concurrent nutritional program prescribed by our Dietitian to ensure that your nutritional intake supports the exercise you are engaging in to optimise your outcomes.

Additional Information

A Chronic Disease Management Plan will be initiated by your GP, this will allow up to five claimable visits through Medicare.

Group classes with the Exercise Physiologist may be subsidised through your Private Health Insurance.

Be sure to wear comfortable clothes you can exercise in for each consultation.

How to Register

Ask any OCV staff for an appointment to see our Exercise Physiologist. At the initial consultation, you will have a physical, nutritional and psychological assessment.

P 1300 300 977