Exercise programmes offered to men on hormone treatment for prostate cancer
Men receiving hormone treatment for prostate cancer are being offered supervised exercise programmes in gyms, after a study found they ease side effects and reduce NHS costs.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Targeted exercise programmes are being offered to men receiving hormone treatment for prostate cancer. The move follows a study showing that exercise can improve individual wellbeing and reduce financial strain on the NHS.
About 600,000 men in the UK are living with prostate cancer. Around half are given androgen deprivation therapy, or ADT. The treatment can cause side effects including weight gain and muscle loss. A study by Sheffield Hallam University found that prescribing an exercise programme delivered by a personal trainer could effectively curb those side effects.
Researchers said a range of investigations over the last 20 to 30 years have shown that supervised exercise training can improve quality of life for men with prostate cancer. From that study, 50,000 men across the country are now enrolled in programmes at gyms like Nuffield Health in Stoke Gifford.
The programmes combine cardiovascular exercise and muscle building. Mike, who had surgery in 2020 followed by six years of therapy, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy, said the treatments left him weak and demoralised. He joined a cancer activity programme and said getting his personal energy and strength back, and being able to do what he used to do, was fantastic.
Martin has been attending twice a week for the last six months. He said coming to the gym, meeting the other men, and hearing and sharing stories was the definite benefit. He added that the group had some characters and that winding each other up meant there was never a dull moment.
Nuffield Health now plans to expand the availability of the programme to patients receiving treatment for other types of cancer. The local gym in Stoke Gifford is one of the sites offering the cancer activity programme.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| A Sheffield Hallam University study found that a personal trainer-led exercise programme could reduce side effects such as weight gain and muscle loss. | |
| A study reported that exercise improved individual wellbeing and reduced financial strain on the NHS. | |
| Around 600,000 men in the UK are living with prostate cancer, with about half receiving ADT. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West led on the local and practical angle, visiting a Nuffield Health gym in Stoke Gifford and hearing from men using its cancer activity programme. It combined personal testimony from Mike and Martin with national figures and a Sheffield Hallam University study, and it stressed the potential NHS savings. The tone was positive and health-focused, with no sceptical voices or caveats about the research.
- “All the radiotherapy, chemo, all the treatments we've been through, and everything just makes you so weak and demoralised.”
- “A variety of investigators over the last 20 to 30 years really, have shown if you provide men with supervised exercise training, you can improve their quality of life.”
- “Coming here, meeting the lads, hearing their stories, sharing stories, is the definite benefit.”
Broadcast Timeline
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