
Exercise could ease symptoms for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
CLL starts when a type of immune cell called a B cell – normally responsible for producing antibodies – becomes cancerous. This not only stops it from working properly, but also weakens the rest of the immune system.
For many people, CLL begins as a slow-moving, low-grade disease that doesn't need immediate treatment. These patients are placed on 'active monitoring,' where they're regularly checked for signs of progression. Others, especially those with more aggressive forms of the disease, will need immediate and targeted treatment to destroy the cancer cells.
But regardless of the stage, CLL involves a prolonged and often unpredictable course. It's associated with a higher risk of infections, secondary cancers and a heavy symptom burden that can affect quality of life for years.
People on active monitoring often find themselves in a kind of medical limbo: well enough not to need treatment, but not well enough to feel secure. Fatigue, anxiety, social isolation and fear of infection are common. For those receiving treatment, side effects including nausea, bleeding, diarrhoea and extreme tiredness can make everyday life even more challenging.
Because CLL weakens the body's ability to fight infection, many people begin avoiding places where germs might spread: busy shops, family gatherings, even the gym. But while this instinct is understandable, it can come at a cost. Over time, isolation and inactivity can chip away at physical fitness, reduce resilience and make it harder to recover from illness or cope with stress.
The role of exercise
Exercise is good for everyone but for people living with CLL, it can be life-changing. Our research shows that physical activity is strongly linked to fewer symptoms and a better quality of life. Fatigue, the most common and often most debilitating symptom, was significantly lower in people who stayed active. Many also reported reduced pain and a greater sense of physical wellbeing.
Cancer-related fatigue isn't just feeling a bit tired. It's a deep, persistent exhaustion that doesn't improve with sleep or rest. The exact biological reasons behind it aren't fully understood, but one thing is clear: regular movement helps. People who are more active tend to feel better – and live better.
The good news is that even gentle activity can make a difference. Low-intensity activities are safe for almost everyone and come with meaningful health benefits. Walking, yoga, swimming – anything that gets you moving – can help ease symptoms. In fact, research shows that just 12 weeks of regular exercise can reduce fatigue and improve day-to-day wellbeing.
People with additional health concerns, such as heart disease, diabetes or bone conditions, should take extra care. It's always a good idea to speak to a doctor or physiotherapist before starting a new routine. The PAR-Q+ (physical activity readiness questionnaire) is a helpful tool to assess whether it's safe to begin exercising.
Once cleared, the goal is to work up to the recommended activity levels: 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week (like brisk walking or cycling) or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity (like jogging or swimming), along with two sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week. Start slowly and build gradually.
Because people with CLL are immunocompromised, it's important to reduce infection risks while staying active. That might mean exercising outdoors, avoiding crowds, wearing a mask, or choosing quieter times at the gym. But, as long as precautions are taken, the benefits of movement far outweigh the risks.
Benefits of keeping active
In one of our pilot studies, people with CLL who had not yet started treatment showed smaller increases in tumour cell counts after 12 weeks of exercise. Their immune systems also appeared more robust, with stronger responses to abnormal cells. This research is still in its early stages, but it's encouraging to see that exercise doesn't appear to accelerate disease progression – and might even help to slow it.
The biggest improvements were seen in people who started off with the worst symptoms or poorest physical condition. In other words, those with the most to gain, gained the most. Older adults, in particular, seemed to benefit from even modest activity.
People receiving treatment were generally less active and reported lower quality of life than those who weren't but their symptom levels were similar. That suggests physical activity might offer especially meaningful benefits for people going through treatment.
Exercise is already a well-established part of care for people with solid tumours such as breast or bowel cancer.
What's different about CLL is that many people don't receive treatment for years – yet still experience symptoms and lower quality of life. Our study shows that physical activity matters just as much for this group. Whether someone is on active monitoring or undergoing treatment, staying active can help ease symptoms, boost energy and improve daily life.
It's a powerful reminder that even small steps can make a big difference and that living well with CLL isn't just about waiting for treatment. It's about reclaiming strength, mobility and agency, one movement at a time.

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Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Exercise could ease symptoms for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common adult blood cancer in the western world, and it predominantly affects older adults. Most people are diagnosed after the age of 70, but increasing numbers of younger people, some under 60, are also being affected. CLL starts when a type of immune cell called a B cell – normally responsible for producing antibodies – becomes cancerous. This not only stops it from working properly, but also weakens the rest of the immune system. For many people, CLL begins as a slow-moving, low-grade disease that doesn't need immediate treatment. These patients are placed on 'active monitoring,' where they're regularly checked for signs of progression. Others, especially those with more aggressive forms of the disease, will need immediate and targeted treatment to destroy the cancer cells. But regardless of the stage, CLL involves a prolonged and often unpredictable course. It's associated with a higher risk of infections, secondary cancers and a heavy symptom burden that can affect quality of life for years. People on active monitoring often find themselves in a kind of medical limbo: well enough not to need treatment, but not well enough to feel secure. Fatigue, anxiety, social isolation and fear of infection are common. For those receiving treatment, side effects including nausea, bleeding, diarrhoea and extreme tiredness can make everyday life even more challenging. Because CLL weakens the body's ability to fight infection, many people begin avoiding places where germs might spread: busy shops, family gatherings, even the gym. But while this instinct is understandable, it can come at a cost. Over time, isolation and inactivity can chip away at physical fitness, reduce resilience and make it harder to recover from illness or cope with stress. The role of exercise Exercise is good for everyone but for people living with CLL, it can be life-changing. Our research shows that physical activity is strongly linked to fewer symptoms and a better quality of life. Fatigue, the most common and often most debilitating symptom, was significantly lower in people who stayed active. Many also reported reduced pain and a greater sense of physical wellbeing. Cancer-related fatigue isn't just feeling a bit tired. It's a deep, persistent exhaustion that doesn't improve with sleep or rest. The exact biological reasons behind it aren't fully understood, but one thing is clear: regular movement helps. People who are more active tend to feel better – and live better. The good news is that even gentle activity can make a difference. Low-intensity activities are safe for almost everyone and come with meaningful health benefits. Walking, yoga, swimming – anything that gets you moving – can help ease symptoms. In fact, research shows that just 12 weeks of regular exercise can reduce fatigue and improve day-to-day wellbeing. People with additional health concerns, such as heart disease, diabetes or bone conditions, should take extra care. It's always a good idea to speak to a doctor or physiotherapist before starting a new routine. The PAR-Q+ (physical activity readiness questionnaire) is a helpful tool to assess whether it's safe to begin exercising. Once cleared, the goal is to work up to the recommended activity levels: 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week (like brisk walking or cycling) or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity (like jogging or swimming), along with two sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week. Start slowly and build gradually. Because people with CLL are immunocompromised, it's important to reduce infection risks while staying active. That might mean exercising outdoors, avoiding crowds, wearing a mask, or choosing quieter times at the gym. But, as long as precautions are taken, the benefits of movement far outweigh the risks. Benefits of keeping active In one of our pilot studies, people with CLL who had not yet started treatment showed smaller increases in tumour cell counts after 12 weeks of exercise. Their immune systems also appeared more robust, with stronger responses to abnormal cells. This research is still in its early stages, but it's encouraging to see that exercise doesn't appear to accelerate disease progression – and might even help to slow it. The biggest improvements were seen in people who started off with the worst symptoms or poorest physical condition. In other words, those with the most to gain, gained the most. Older adults, in particular, seemed to benefit from even modest activity. People receiving treatment were generally less active and reported lower quality of life than those who weren't but their symptom levels were similar. That suggests physical activity might offer especially meaningful benefits for people going through treatment. Exercise is already a well-established part of care for people with solid tumours such as breast or bowel cancer. What's different about CLL is that many people don't receive treatment for years – yet still experience symptoms and lower quality of life. Our study shows that physical activity matters just as much for this group. Whether someone is on active monitoring or undergoing treatment, staying active can help ease symptoms, boost energy and improve daily life. It's a powerful reminder that even small steps can make a big difference and that living well with CLL isn't just about waiting for treatment. It's about reclaiming strength, mobility and agency, one movement at a time.


New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Exercise could ease symptoms for people with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, reveals new study
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) is the most common adult blood cancer in the western world, and it predominantly affects older adults. Most people are diagnosed after the age of 70, but increasing numbers of younger people, some under 60, are also being affected. CLL starts when a type of immune cell called a B cell -- normally responsible for producing antibodies -- becomes cancerous. This not only stops it from working properly, but also weakens the rest of the immune system. For many people, CLL begins as a slow-moving, low-grade disease that doesn't need immediate treatment. These patients are placed on active monitoring, where they're regularly checked for signs of progression. Others, especially those with more aggressive forms of the disease, will need immediate and targeted treatment to destroy the cancer cells. But regardless of the stage, CLL involves a prolonged and often unpredictable course. It's associated with a higher risk of infections, secondary cancers and a heavy symptom burden that can affect quality of life for years. People on active monitoring often find themselves in a kind of medical limbo: well enough not to need treatment, but not well enough to feel secure. Fatigue, anxiety, social isolation and fear of infection are common. For those receiving treatment, side effects including nausea, bleeding, diarrhoea and extreme tiredness can make everyday life even more challenging. Because CLL weakens the body's ability to fight infection, many people begin avoiding places where germs might spread: busy shops, family gatherings, even the gym. But while this instinct is understandable, it can come at a cost. Over time, isolation and inactivity can chip away at physical fitness, reduce resilience and make it harder to recover from illness or cope with stress. The role of exercise: Exercise is good for everyone but for people living with CLL, it can be life-changing. Our research shows that physical activity is strongly linked to fewer symptoms and a better quality of life. Fatigue, the most common and often most debilitating symptom, was significantly lower in people who stayed active. Many also reported reduced pain and a greater sense of physical wellbeing. Cancer-related fatigue isn't just feeling a bit tired. It's a deep, persistent exhaustion that doesn't improve with sleep or rest. The exact biological reasons behind it aren't fully understood, but one thing is clear: regular movement helps. People who are more active tend to feel better and live better. The good news is that even gentle activity can make a difference. Low-intensity activities are safe for almost everyone and come with meaningful health benefits. Walking, yoga, swimming -- anything that gets you moving -- can help ease symptoms. In fact, research shows that just 12 weeks of regular exercise can reduce fatigue and improve day-to-day wellbeing. People with additional health concerns, such as heart disease, diabetes or bone conditions, should take extra care. It's always a good idea to speak to a doctor or physiotherapist before starting a new routine. The PAR-Q+ (physical activity readiness questionnaire) is a helpful tool to assess whether it's safe to begin exercising. Once cleared, the goal is to work up to the recommended activity levels: 150-300 minutes of moderate activity a week (like brisk walking or cycling) or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity (like jogging or swimming), along with two sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week. Start slowly and build gradually. Because people with CLL are immunocompromised, it's important to reduce infection risks while staying active. That might mean exercising outdoors, avoiding crowds, wearing a mask, or choosing quieter times at the gym. But, as long as precautions are taken, the benefits of movement far outweigh the risks. Benefits of keeping active In one of our pilot studies, people with CLL who had not yet started treatment showed smaller increases in tumour cell counts after 12 weeks of exercise. Their immune systems also appeared more robust, with stronger responses to abnormal cells. This research is still in its early stages, but it's encouraging to see that exercise doesn't appear to accelerate disease progression and might even help to slow it. The biggest improvements were seen in people who started off with the worst symptoms or poorest physical condition. In other words, those with the most to gain, gained the most. Older adults, in particular, seemed to benefit from even modest activity. People receiving treatment were generally less active and reported lower quality of life than those who weren't but their symptom levels were similar. That suggests physical activity might offer especially meaningful benefits for people going through treatment. Exercise is already a well-established part of care for people with solid tumours such as breast or bowel cancer. What's different about CLL is that many people don't receive treatment for years -- yet still experience symptoms and lower quality of life. Our study shows that physical activity matters just as much for this group. Whether someone is on active monitoring or undergoing treatment, staying active can help ease symptoms, boost energy and improve daily life. It's a powerful reminder that even small steps can make a big difference and that living well with CLL isn't just about waiting for treatment. It's about reclaiming strength, mobility and agency, one movement at a time.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Cancer experts alarmed over ‘gut-wrenching' Trump plan to cut research spending by billions
More patients may die as a result of plans drawn up by the Trump administration to cut billions of dollars from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), veteran federal government workers and experts have warned. Nearly $2.7bn would be cut from the agency, which is the largest funder of cancer research in the world – a decline of 37.2% from the previous year – under a budget proposal for 2026, in the latest effort to cut staff and funding. 'These cuts are absolutely gut wrenching,' Erin Lavik, former deputy director and chief technology officer at the NCI's division of cancer prevention, told the Guardian. Lavik was fired along with a swath of probationary workers at the institute in February; put on administrative leave in response to a judge's ruling to halt the firings in March; and then terminated again in April. 'We're not making things more efficient or better,' she said. 'What's being left is sort of the non-impactful iterative work, and we're pruning all of the potential for transformative science.' Related: NIH scientists go public to denounce Trump's deep cuts in health research The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has cautioned that the proposed cuts 'will set this nation back dramatically in our ability to reduce death and suffering' and noted that cancer is expected to kill more than 618,000 Americans this year. Julie Nickson, vice-president of Federal Advocacy and Coalitions, said: 'This wouldn't just be a blow to science, it's a blow to families, communities, and our economy. Every day counts in the fight against cancer and with more than 2 million Americans expected to be diagnosed with this horrible disease in 2025 alone, now is not the time to go backwards.' Jennifer R Brown, secretary of the American Society of Hematology and director of the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Center of the Division of Hematologic Malignancies at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told the Guardian that cuts under Donald Trump have 'already been devastating', with key research halted that can't easily be restarted. 'What the public needs to know is that the science that may not sound so obvious, or that they may not know that much about, is really what drives our cancer treatments and our cancer cures. And so if we cut that, we're going to lose it,' said Brown. Cancer research historically funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which houses the NCI, 'is the basic science that figures out what to target in the cancer cell', she said. 'Then a drug may be developed that may be from an academic, it may be from a pharma company, but the trials are then also run by academics and pharma in collaboration, and academics who are funded by NIH, who do the legwork to figure out how the drug is working in patients. 'Pharma companies take the drug to the finish line. And so if we don't have this basic research, we're not going to be able to identify new targets, and that means we're not going to have new therapies, and ultimately more patients may die.' Brown sees a direct link between NIH-funded academic research and cancer drugs for chronic lymphocytic leukemia that helped patients live longer. 'People who would have died in a few months, lived for years with the first version of this drug,' she said. Hundreds of staff have been terminated from the NCI in recent months, including dozens of communications workers. 'Our website, is used worldwide and is the ground truth for cancer information,' said one fired communications employee at the institute, who requested to remain anonymous. 'Science isn't finished until it's communicated.' Between 28 February and 8 April, more than $180m in NCI grants were cancelled by the Trump administration. NIH declined to comment, deferring to comments on the budget proposal cuts to the office of management and budget, which did not respond to requests for comment. NIH did not comment on how many employees at the agency remain after several rounds of cuts and layoffs. Related: Trump's safety research cuts heighten workplace risks, federal workers warn Lavik said the cuts are likely to threaten large-scale research programs, such as the National Community Oncology Research program, which covers community hospitals all over the US and ensures patients have access to clinical trials, cutting edge cancer care, prevention and screenings. 'I am deeply concerned about the future of these really important clinical trials programs that are really hard to rebuild if you stop them,' she said. 'In the prevention program, there are large scale screening trials, and they have large data sets. We were working really hard on policies to make those data sets more accessible and available to the research community. And we're all gone.' Drastic cuts across federal science funding is causing scientists to consider leaving science and eliminating opportunities for younger scientists to enter training pipelines as undergraduate researchers, graduate researchers and postdocs, according to Lavik. 'The things that are transformative are fundamentally high-risk, high-reward research,' she said. 'We start to move into the clinic, and that's what leads to the new kinds of treatments that don't just help a little bit, but really change the face of how we treat patients, how we prevent cancers, how we treat other conditions. 'You have to be willing to do lots and lots of things that don't work. There are so many ways we should be more efficient about what we do. But to do that, you really need those young scientists, those new people in the field; you need the people who've come into the NIH and the NCI, who are thinking differently about doing things and willing to take those big swings.'