„Physical Exercise and Cancer“ is currently not only a hot field for research but also a topic which receives extensive coverage in the media. At the Heidelberg Conference „Exercise, Energy Balance and Cancer“ we want to take a closer look at the various aspects of this field and provide an overview of the most up-to-date results of scientific research. We feel fortunate that scientists of national and international renown have agreed to come the meeting and report on their most recent findings.

The estimation of the role of physical activity in cancer patients has gone through several changes in recent years. For a long period of time doctors advised their patients to refrain from strenuous physical exercise during cancer treatment. The standard motto was, “No sports/physical activities for cancer patients, they need to save their energy and get plenty of rest and relaxation”. Patients were still given this admonishment in the 80’s and 90’s in spite of the fact that epidemiological studies performed at that time indicated that the right amount of physical effort had a protective effect that was more likely to reduce the incidence of cancer. Further research has provided definitive evidence of the beneficial effects of exercise during cancer therapy and its ability to significantly improve the prognosis and to prolong the survival period.

Nevertheless, many questions remain open:

-         Is physical exercise possible and beneficial for all types of cancer and in every stage of the disease?

-         Should a specific training program be developed for each type of cancer?

-         Which kind of physical training is the most effective for cancer prevention and prognosis- what type, how much and what frequencies?

-         What are the biological mechanisms in healthy individuals and cancer patients?

-         What kind of positive physiological, psychological and social changes can be attained?

-         What is the best way of maintaining a high level of physical activity over longer periods of time?

We hope that many scientists and other interested participants will join us on November 15^th and 16^th and contribute to animated discussions and interdisciplinary sharing of experience. We most cordially invite you to attend this meeting in Heidelberg.

Note: The conference is accredited with 10 points (5 per day) from the AIO and 12 points (6 per day) from the Landesärztekammer Baden-Württemberg.

The “Exercise, Energy Balance and Cancer” Organizational Committee

Cornelia Ulrich, PhD (Conference Chair)                          Karen Steindorf ScD (Co-Chair)

Joachim Wiskemann, PhD (Program Committee)           Dirk Jäger, MD (Program Committee)