Exercise and Cancer
- Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, 58, remains active after being treated for bladder cancer by walking a mile nearly every day. An increasing body of scientific data supports the benefits of exercise for cancer patients, including helping them tolerate treatments better and reducing anxiety and depression.
- Sanders’s diagnosis became public earlier this summer when he revealed a routine health check helped doctors discover he had an aggressive form of bladder cancer despite having no symptoms. He underwent bladder cancer surgery, and part of his survivorship includes also using a urostomy bag [a medical device used to collect urine after bladder surgery].
- Bladder cancer occurs when bladder lining cells grow uncontrollably and form tumors. Smoking is a major risk factor.
According to SurvivorNet experts, surgery remains the most effective path to a potential cure for bladder cancer. - After treatment, tumor aggressiveness will determine how often patients need cystoscopy—a scope-based exam of the bladder—ranging from once a year to every few months, often paired with urinary tract imaging.
“I’m trying my best to live it to the fullest, considering what transpired,” Sanders told the Associated Press.
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Exercise: A Game-Changer for Cancer Survivors
Sanders’ commitment to movement isn’t just personal — it’s backed by a growing body of research showing that exercise plays a vital role in recovery and emotional resilience for cancer survivors, especially older adults. A 2025 study published in JAMA analyzed 27 clinical trials involving 1,929 older adults with cancer. The results were striking:- Regular physical activity led to significant reductions in depression and anxiety
- Participants reported improved overall quality of life — physically and emotionally
- Mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi had an even greater impact on mood than traditional exercise routines
Another 2025 study in Cancer Medicine focused on breast cancer survivors and reinforced these findings:
- Exercise consistently lowered depression and anxiety levels
- Aerobic workouts and hybrid programs combining cardio, strength, and balance training were especially effective
These insights build on earlier research, including a 2019 study from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. In that study, patients with a median age of 67 undergoing chemotherapy participated in a six-week exercise program — and experienced meaningful improvements in mood and anxiety during treatment.
Even outside the clinical setting, the benefits of movement are clear. A large-scale population study from the University of Oslo examined anxiety levels among skiers across Sweden. The findings? Those who exercised regularly had a significantly lower incidence of anxiety than their sedentary peers.
Exercise isn’t just about fitness — it’s a form of emotional healing. For survivors like Sanders, each step forward is a testament to resilience, recovery, and the power of staying active.
Helping Patients Better Understand Bladder Cancer and Treatment Resources
The Benefits of Exercise for Different Cancers
From reducing cancer risk to aiding recovery after surgery, exercise continues to prove itself as a powerful ally in the fight against cancer. Whether it’s prostate, ovarian, or breast cancer, staying active can make a meaningful difference — and the science backs it up.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Prostate Cancer Risk
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reveals a compelling link between fitness and prostate cancer prevention. Men who improved their cardiorespiratory fitness — through activities like running, swimming, or cycling — by just 3% annually were 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer compared to those whose fitness declined.
The Benefits of Exercise after Ovarian Cancer Surgery
After ovarian cancer surgery, many women may feel hesitant about returning to physical activity. But experts like Dr. Angela Wicker-Ramos, an oncology physical therapist with Cancer Rehab and Integrative Medicine, emphasize that movement is not only safe — it’s essential.
According to Dr. Wicker-Ramos, exercise after surgery can:
- Improve circulation, which boosts wound healing and fluid movement
- Help soften scar tissue, especially through deep breathing and chest/arm extension exercises
- Enhance endurance and overall recovery
In the early stages of healing, Dr. Wicker-Ramos prefers to use the term “physical activity and movement” rather than “exercise” to ease concerns.
“But starting to move more — starting a moderate walking program [or] a deep breathing program… all of those things can help with posture, can help with endurance, can help with your strength, and just get you back to where you were before,” she says.
WATCH: Exercise Can Lower Your Breast Cancer Risk
Exercise and Breast Cancer: More Than Just Risk Reduction
When it comes to breast cancer, exercise offers both preventive and therapeutic benefits. Research shows that regular physical activity can lower your risk of developing breast cancer by approximately 12% according to the National Cancer Institute. But the benefits go far beyond statistics.
Staying active during chemotherapy may seem daunting, but it can help ease treatment-related symptoms and improve overall well-being.
Getting out and getting some exercise, no matter how hard it seems at the time, will help, experts say. Even light activity can make a difference in how patients feel during treatment.
Programs tailored for breast cancer patients — such as yoga — offer gentle, restorative movement that supports both physical and emotional recovery.
Exercise isn’t just about fitness — it’s about healing, prevention, and reclaiming strength. Whether you’re working to reduce your cancer risk or navigating life after diagnosis, movement is medicine.
Coach Prime’s Bladder Cancer Diagnosis
Deion Sanders played 14 seasons in the National Football League for several teams during his career, including the Atlanta Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens. The all-star athlete also played several seasons with Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees. Now, he is the head coach for the Colorado Buffaloes at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Despite his resilience on the gridiron, Sanders, a father of five, says his battle with cancer was one of his toughest.
In July, Sanders revealed that he had been battling bladder cancer. While specifics of Sanders’ cancer journey have not been fully disclosed, he shared that his experience “was tough” and said it “was a fight, but we made it,” according to the Associated Press.
Since 2021, Sanders has had 14 surgeries and dealt with blood clots, resulting in the amputation of two toes. A routine checkup helped lead to the discovery of his cancer diagnosis.
When Sanders’ doctors told him he had bladder cancer, the football star admits he was shaken by “the C word,” but remained steadfast; his diagnosis would be different, and he would survive.
Sanders’s bladder cancer was considered a “very-high-grade, malignant tumor” despite having no symptoms.
One of the things that kept Sanders’ headstrong during treatment was his desire to return to the football field and be the coach he dreamt of being.
“It was never in my spirit, in my heart, that God wouldn’t allow me to coach again,” Sanders said.
Sanders also admitted that he didn’t want to stress his sons with his health issues, as he didn’t want it to distract them.
“My sons, to this day, don’t know what transpired. I just told them it was something with my foot, because I wanted to give them the focus on making the team and not focus on dad,” he explained.
As part of his survivorship, Sanders is also using a urostomy bag [a medical device used to collect urine after bladder surgery].
Understanding How Bladder Cancer Impacts Patients
Your bladder is a hollow, muscular, balloon-shaped organ that expands as it fills with urine, an essential component of your body’s urinary system.
Bladder cancer begins when the cells lining the inside of the bladder start growing uncontrollably and form tumors. “Smoking is a leading risk factor,” with smokers being three times more likely to develop the disease than non-smokers.
Common symptoms of bladder cancer may include:
- Frequent urination
- Pain or burning during urination
- Flank pain (discomfort in the sides of the lower back)
- A sudden, urgent need to urinate
- Blood in the urine, which may appear pink, red, or cola-colored
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Bladder cancer can be treated in several ways, and doctors consider multiple factors when determining the best approach. The tumor’s location and whether it has spread are key details that help guide your treatment plan.
For many patients, surgery offers the best chance for a cure, with different surgical techniques tailored to where the cancer is located in the bladder.
For those diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, the most common surgical treatment is a procedure called transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). During TURBT, a surgeon inserts a camera-equipped instrument through the urethra and into the bladder, allowing them to locate and remove visible tumors without making an external incision.
The goal is to eliminate all tumors that can be seen through the camera, and most patients are able to return home the same day. However, in some cases, a longer hospital stay may be necessary depending on how much tissue is removed.
WATCH: Treating Late-Stage Bladder Cancer
If a surgeon and pathologist determine that more tissue needs to be removed following an initial procedure, additional surgery may be scheduled four to six weeks later.
Post-treatment monitoring is essential and varies based on how aggressive the tumor is. Most patients will need regular cystoscopy—an internal scope to examine the bladder and urethra—anywhere from annually to every few months during the first few years. This is typically paired with routine imaging of the urinary tract.
When it comes to surgery, chemotherapy is often recommended before a cystectomy, which involves the full or partial removal of the bladder. Administering chemotherapy ahead of surgery—what’s known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy—has been shown in large trials to improve survival in bladder cancer.
In addition to surgery and chemotherapy, other treatment approaches may include immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
A newer option for patients with metastatic bladder cancer who can’t receive cisplatin-based treatment involves a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy: enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda). In a recent study, this combination achieved a response in 64.5% of patients, offering hope for a more effective and better-tolerated approach to treatment.
Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer
Smoking is one of the most dangerous contributors to bladder cancer. In fact, the National Institutes of Health reports that roughly half of all bladder cancer cases are caused by smoking.
Why? The toxic chemicals in nicotine and other compounds found in cigarettes remain in the bladder for extended periods before being flushed out through urine—giving them more time to damage bladder tissue.
WATCH: Understanding bladder cancer risk factors.
“The first and foremost thing for a healthy bladder is, don’t smoke,” advises Dr. Arjun Balar. “I think that’s an obvious suggestion for a number of reasons. But if we can eliminate cancer risks that are related to smoking, that’s probably the most important thing you can do.”
Tobacco smoke is a toxic mix—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that it contains over 7,000 chemicals, with at least 70 known to cause cancer. While most often linked to lung cancer, smoking is also a major driver of other cancers, including bladder cancer.
Cigarette smoking is responsible for 80–90% of lung cancer deaths, and smokers are 15 to 30 times more likely to develop or die from lung cancer than non-smokers. Even exposure to second-hand smoke significantly increases risk.
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