Being an astronaut isn’t always as glamorous as it seems: During spaceflight, folks experience physical stress similar to that of cancer patients undergoing treatment.
So perhaps by mimicking a NASA cosmonaut’s exercise regimen before, during, and after a mission, sufferers could also reduce long-term effects to their bodies.
I mean, it’s not rocket science.
“It was surprising when we looked at similarities,” senior study author Jessica Scott said in a statement. “Both have a decrease in muscle mass, and they have bone demineralization and changes in heart function.
“Astronauts may get something called ‘space fog,’ where they have trouble focusing or get a little forgetful,” she continued. “That’s very similar to what some cancer patients experience, which is called ‘chemo brain.'”
But despite almost identical symptoms, astronauts and cancer patients often receive very different advice on how to take care of their bodies.
The former are required to train heavily—on Earth and in space—while the latter must rest in preparation for and during treatment.
Scott, an exercise physiology researcher at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Exercise Oncology Service, disagrees.
Physical activity, like walking on a treadmill, could potentially reduce the negative side effects of treatment, including heart problems.
The process is simple: Just as astronauts prepare for flight, cancer patients monitored using tests like cardiorespiratory fitness could develop their own baseline levels prior to treatment.
NASA is a powerhouse of forward-thinking technology: They have the ability to keep humans safe in outer space for months at a time.
Yet for the 90 percent of people who survive early-stage cancer, there are no comparable efforts to counteract the stress their body undergoes during treatment.
“That’s why it’s very timely that we start thinking about how to utilize NASA’s tactics to manage some of these long-term side effects of cancer treatments,” Scott said. “Many patients aren’t dying from their cancer, but they’re now at risk of dying from these side effects. Using NASA’s exercise plan could help with this.”
By providing people with in-home treadmills and video-call software, patients can participate in Scott’s study from the comfort of their home while following a controlled training schedule.
There’s still more research to be done. But the team is optimistic about applying this NASA exercise framework to help the approximately 1 million people who will be diagnosed with cancer in the US this year, as well as the 15 million-plus survivors.
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