Exercise Oncology: The Past and Present

Abstract

The history of exercise for health and cancer reaches deep into antiquity. Early evidence of a connection between exercise and cancer prevention dates back over 100 years, and preclinical data that exercise slows tumor growth were first published in 1938. Despite this long history, the concept of exercise as prevention or therapy for cancer remained esoteric until the past 10-20 years, when the field has grown exponentially. In this chapter, we review this history as a backdrop to the chapters that follow.