Exercise isn’t just “nice to have” after a cancer diagnosis, it’s one of the most underused treatments we’ve got. And for Sami Mansfield, that truth hit early, in a gym, long before the research world caught up.
A newly treated breast cancer survivor walked in with lymphedema, sleep disruption, cognitive changes, cardiotoxicity, weight shifts the full cascade of side effects and asked Sami a simple question: “Do you think you could help me?” Sami said yes… and never left the field. Two decades later, she’s still pushing the same message: if oncology can predict side effects, we should be prescribing exercise ahead of the game, not as an afterthought.
Episode Highlights
- Why exercise functions like a treatment for cancer side effects: fatigue, muscle loss (sarcopenia), joint pain, and more
- What the CHALLENGE Trial showed in colorectal cancer: structured, coached exercise lowered recurrence/new primary risk by 28%
- The single most important training priority for most patients: strength training to rebuild the “engine” cancer takes away
- Lymphedema: what matters for risk reduction vs. management, and why catching it early is everything
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How to start when you’re exhausted and overwhelmed: 10–15 minutes, every other day, not perfection or “all at once
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Practical fixes for common issues:
- joint stiffness (simple range-of-motion work)
- plantar fasciitis (foot tissue work + mobility)
- neuropathy (safe stimulation + balance work
About the Guest
Sami Mansfield is a consultant in exercise oncology and lifestyle medicine and the founder of Cancer Wellness for Life. She has worked since 2003 at the intersection of clinical care, research, and implementation helping cancer survivors and clinicians translate evidence into programs that are accessible, scalable, and cost-efficient.
Sami is a contributing author to major guidelines, including the ASCO Guidelines on Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight Management, and she has helped shape state cancer control plans and health system wellness strategy. She currently serves as Chair of the Cancer Member Interest Group for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and her patient-facing programs including weBuild and My Lifestyle Shif support survivors globally with actionable lifestyle tools.
Pull Quote (optional)
“If chemo didn’t kill you, a squat’s not going to.”
Resources Mentioned
- CHALLENGE Trial (exercise + colorectal cancer outcomes)
- ASCO Guidelines on Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight Management
- Certified lymphedema therapist (for evaluation + treatment planning)
- SOZO (device discussed for assessing preclinical lymphedema)
