Is exercise really safe, feasible, and effective for all people diagnosed with cancer?

Over the past 20 years, a consistent and ever‐growing evidence base has demonstrated the benefits of physical activity, including through planned, purposeful, and regular exercise. Benefits to functional, psychosocial, and quality of life outcomes have been identified for physical activity and exercise before, during, and following treatment for cancer. Over the past 5 years, high‐quality observational evidence suggests that physical activity post‐cancer may also improve survival outcomes. While the mechanisms through which physical activity influences health and survival outcomes remain poorly understood, emerging findings from epigenetic studies, including a recent study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology involving colorectal cancer patients, suggest that physical activity may influence gene expression1.