Breast and Prostate Cancer Survivor Responses to Group Exercise and Supportive Group Psychotherapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Psychology
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Cancer survivorship presents unique physical and psychosocial challenges.
• Integrated interventions are needed to address the holistic needs of cancer survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively examine an 8-week group exercise and counseling intervention for breast and prostate cancer survivors.
• To explore survivors' experiences and the perceived benefits of the combined intervention.

Main Methods:

• An 8-week intervention combining moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance training (3 days/week) with supportive group psychotherapy (90 minutes/week).
• Post-intervention focus groups were conducted with survivors.
• Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Main Results:

• Exercise facilitated counseling by fostering mutual aid and trust.
• Counseling assisted survivors in navigating self-identity, sexuality, and the return to normalcy.
• Survivors reported positive impacts on psychosocial adjustment.

Conclusions:

• A combined exercise and counseling approach offers significant benefits for cancer survivors.
• Collaboration between fitness professionals and counselors is recommended for optimal survivor support.
• Future research should explore the long-term effects of such integrated interventions.