Current Recommendations on Physical Activity in Cancer Survivors - a Narrative Review

After cardiovascular diseases, cancer is the second most common cause of death in Germany. The number of cancer survivors is steadily increasing due to improved early detection methods and forms of therapy. However, the group of cancer survivors is very heterogeneous and often affected by late and long-term consequences of cancer therapy (including fatigue, depression, anxiety). Many of these side effects can be effectively alleviated by adapted exercise therapy. However, there are currently no uniform recommendations on physical activity, and there is no standardized exercise therapy for this target group. The objective of this article is to give an overview of the current recommendations of the professional societies for physical activity for cancer survivors and to compare them with each other. Uniform recommendations, as formulated in the context of the current preparation of the S3 guidelines "Exercise therapy for oncological diseases", as well as structured survivorship programs, through which those affected gain access to exercise offers, are an important step in the context of oncological care.