Seminars in oncology nursing
-
The prevalence of exercise as an adjunct therapy to cancer treatments including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery is growing rapidly and has been shown to improve health outcomes, treatment completion rates, and quality of life in people affected by cancer. Given the complexity of delivering cancer services during coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many people who are undergoing cancer treatment are unable to access exercise services. This review aims to investigate: (1) the feasibility of exercise telehealth interventions for individuals diagnosed with cancer; and (2) the impact of exercise telehealth interventions for people affected by cancer on physical and psychosocial outcomes. ⋯ Telehealth uses telecommunications technology as a tool to deliver health care to populations with limited access to cancer care. Quality care of a person living with cancer requires multidisciplinary team-based care and telecommunications technology can support interprofessional care. This review has underscored that telecommunications is a critical tool in the delivery of cancer care to enable timely ongoing support for exercise interventions for those affected by cancer. It remains important for people affected by cancer to continue to engage in and maintain regular exercise under the guidance of qualified health professionals in keeping with evidence-based clinical guidelines.