Patients being treated for ovarian cancer often experience peripheral neuropathy, a side effect from their chemotherapy that can cause both pain and numbness for months, or even years. Now, a new study suggests that six months of aerobic exercise may ease this unpleasant side effect. “The results from this trial hold the potential to transform supportive care for ovarian cancer survivors by offering a new approach to managing CIPN [chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy],” said senior study author Leah Ferrucci, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health and a member of Yale Cancer Center. “These findings provide compelling evidence that a structured, home-based aerobic exercise program can significantly improve CIPN in ovarian cancer survivors who have completed chemotherapy,” Ferrucci said in a Yale news release. The structured aerobic exercise intervention in the study had already been found to improve physical health-related quality of life. For this new research on patients with ovarian cancer who received chemotherapy, the investigators evaluated the impact of the exercise program and compared it to a control group of patients not in the exercise program. Patients in the exercise intervention arm of the study had a reduction of 1.3 points in CIPN symptoms at the end of the six-month program. Those in the control group, who only received weekly health education phone calls, had a minor increase in…  read on >  read on >

First Lady Jill Biden gains at least some of her inner strength by working on her physical strength. Featured in the September issue of Women’s Health magazine, Biden, 72, talks about waking at 5:45 a.m. most days to fit in a workout. That includes jogging on the White House driveway, bicycle rides when getting away to the family beach home in Delaware and spin classes while she’s traveling. Biden also rides a Peloton bike and takes barre classes. “I need to be with myself and find inner strength so I can be strong for everyone else,” Biden said in the Women’s Health interview. Some of Biden’s workouts are at SoulCycle studios in Washington, D.C., but she also squeezes in workouts while traveling. Those workouts have included taking a spin class with Akshata Murty, the wife of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during her May trip to London for King Charles III’s coronation, the Associated Press reported. According to the AP, during a trip to the White House a month later, Sunak told President Joe Biden that “I gather our wives have even started to take spin classes together.” Jill Biden has always exercised, starting with roller skating as a kid, ice skating in college and swimming while pregnant with her daughter, Ashley. When Ashley was a teen, Biden would run, she wrote in her memoir.…  read on >  read on >

Taking the stairs rather than an elevator. Raking leaves. Toting heavy grocery bags. Pushing a vacuum. Playing hard with your kids or pets. Short bursts of vigorous physical activity during everyday events like these — most lasting less than a minute — can help lower cancer risk even in people who don’t like to exercise, a new study finds. People who got around 3.5 minutes of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) each day reduced their overall cancer risk by about 18%, said researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Sydney in Australia. More minutes produced even more cancer protection, particularly for cancers already known to respond well to physical activity. “For people who find it hard to initiate or adhere to an exercise program, our study suggests that doing a few short bursts of intense activity as the day goes by may be beneficial for long-term health,” Stamatakis said. The study, published online July 27 in JAMA Oncology, showed that non-exercisers can still benefit from getting off the couch throughout the day, said Erika Rees-Punia, a senior principal scientist of epidemiology and behavioral research with the American Cancer Society. “We often say that something is better than nothing in terms of physical activity, and this is really more evidence for that,” Rees-Punia said. “It turns…  read on >  read on >

Bronny James, son of basketball superstar LeBron James, was released from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Thursday, just three days after the 18-year-old suffered cardiac arrest during a college basketball practice. Consulting cardiologist Dr. Merije Chukumerije said in a statement that James was “successfully treated for a sudden cardiac arrest.” Chukumerije credited “the swift and effective response by the USC athletics’ medical staff” after the incident Monday at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center, where the incoming freshman guard was participating in basketball practice.” Bronny James arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center conscious, neurologically intact and stable, Chukumerije said. “Mr. James was cared for promptly by highly trained staff and has been discharged home, where he is resting. Although his workup will be ongoing, we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support,” Chukumerije said. Meanwhile, in a message posted on social media, LeBron James said his family is “safe and healthy.” “I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,” LeBron James wrote. “We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us!”…  read on >  read on >

Wearable devices like smartwatches continually track physical activity, urging folks to take more daily steps for their health. Now, a new study suggests this gentle technological nagging could be of great benefit to people whose hearts are giving out. Heart failure patients who get between 1,000 and 5,000 steps a day have significantly improved symptoms and fewer physical limitations than those who walk less, according to researchers. They also found that if heart patients increase their step counts, they appear to experience a clinically important improvement in symptom control and physical function. These results show the potential usefulness of wearable devices in helping people manage heart failure, said senior researcher Dr. Brahmajee Nallamothu, a professor of cardiology at the University of Michigan Medical School. “I can imagine situations where these devices could potentially help us deliver advice or recommendations,” Nallamothu said. “By tracking how many steps a patient has taken, we might be able to use that information and intervene a little bit to say, you haven’t been moving as much this week as you were the week before. There might be lots of things going on in your life, but it’s really nice outside. Maybe today or tomorrow is a good day for a walk.” Heart failure occurs when the heart becomes too weak or stiff to pump sufficient blood out to the body.…  read on >  read on >

The 18-year-old son of basketball superstar LeBron James suffered cardiac arrest during a workout Monday at the University of Southern California. Bronny James, an incoming USC freshman, was listed in stable condition Tuesday morning after a brief stay in intensive care, a family spokesperson said in a statement. “Yesterday, while practicing, Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest,” the spokesperson said. “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU.” TMZ reported that his condition was considered a Code 3 — meaning ambulance lights and sirens — and he was transported to the hospital by ambulance at 9:26 a.m. Monday. Cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating. It is an “electrical” problem, and different from a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association. The Los Angeles Times reported that this was the second time in about a year that the USC medical staff has responded to a men’s basketball player suffering cardiac arrest during practice. Center Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed at a practice last July and was revived by athletic trainers. Iwuchukwu returned to the basketball court six months later. James, a four-star recruit, was a standout in the McDonald’s All-American Game in March. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals in his…  read on >  read on >