Exercise intervention research for patients with cancer on treatment.

Objectives: To review the literature and summarize the findings of exercise intervention research for patients with cancer undergoing treatment.

Data Sources: Electronic databases of the Ovid Medline and CINAHL from 1980 to present. Reference lists from retrieved articles were reviewed and relevant articles included.

Conclusion: Exercise programs have been primarily aerobic. Participants exercised anywhere from 3 to 7 days a week, for 2 to 52 weeks, 10 to 45 minutes per session, at 50% to 85% of heart rate reserve. Exercise has shown to improve almost all aspects of physiologic and psychological functioning.

Implications For Nursing Practice: Nurses can confidently suggest exercise as part of a patient's therapy and guide the patient to a safe program.