Mississippi College Professor Studies Cancer Patients and Impact of Exercise

MC kinesiology professor Suzanne McDonough

Improved health and a better quality of life are among the key benefits for cancer patients stepping up their physical activity levels.

That’s the conclusion of Mississippi College kinesiology professor Suzanne McDonough, who recently completed a pilot program with her students at Merit Health Central hospital in Jackson.

The August issue of “Mississippi Medical News” examines the research project between Merit Health Central (formerly Central Mississippi Medical Center) and Mississippi College. The study highlights the importance of introducing some type of exercise into the lives of cancer patients.

McDonough and several recent Mississippi College graduates, John Phillips, Travis Twilbeck and Zack Villarubia, logged many hours on the year-long project.

“This research project stemmed from our firm belief that the effects of cancer and all related treatments can be mediated by planned exercise,” McDonough said on the Clinton campus Friday.

“There are many exercise prescriptions, but few tailored specifically for the needs of cancer patients/survivors,” she said.

By partnering with Merit Health Central Hospital, there were clinicians and patients available for MC graduate students as part of their studies in applied exercise physiology.

To strengthen her own training, McDonough received certification from the American College of Sports Medicine as a certified cancer exercise specialist last year. The Mississippi College professor also attended the Rocky Mountain Cancer Rehabilitation Institute in Colorado.

Cancer remains a killer. It is the second most common form of death in the United States. Nearly one in every four deaths in the USA is attributed to cancer.

Other reports from the American Cancer Society show more than 1.6 million new cases of cancer are projected to be diagnosed in the USA in 2015. And there were more than 509,000 cancer deaths projected nationwide this year. Still, a substantial portion of cancer cases can be prevented, health experts say.

The Mississippi College research program began with four patients.

In a twelve-week program, participants were measured in areas such as muscular strength, endurance and cardio fitness/balance, says the article in “Mississippi Medical News.”

The participants reported a decrease in fatigue and depression and an improvement in their quality of life.

In the article, McDonough believes the results of the pilot program “could potentially benefit countless cancer patients in the future.”

The MC professor developed the idea for the program after one of her closest friends was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.

For more information, go to the “Mississippi Medical News” article on-line in its latest issue. A Mississippi College kinesiology professor and director of the university’s Applied Physiology Laboratory, Suzanne McDonough can be reached at smcdonou@mc.edu or 601-925-7720.