This is a MYTH.
Cancer Survivors Should Rest Up and Avoid Exertion
Exercise for cancer patients should actually be prescribed, according to a new report from Macmillan Cancer Support. Macmillan is a London-based charitable agency devoted to pushing for better cancer care and improving the lives of people affected by cancer by providing practical, medical, and financial support.
According to the Macmillan report, exercise is a “wonder drug” for cancer survivors and may prevent the disease from recurring. Rather than telling a patient to “rest up” as in the past, doctors should encourage those healing from cancer to get moving as soon and as much as possible. 
The recent Macmillan report is based on hard evidence showing that exercise can help the healing process and prevent other long-term illness.
The evidence comes from a review of more than 60 studies showing that exercise significantly benefits not only cancer survivors, but also those undergoing active treatment for cancer.
An article in the Metro Herald reported the details:
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• Women with breast cancer who exercised for 150 minutes a week had more than a 40% lower risk of dying and recurrence of disease than those who exercised for less than an hour a week.
• Bowel cancer recurrence could be reduced by 50% with 6 hours weekly exercise, and prostate cancer progression reduced by 57% with 3 hours weekly exercise, the report found.
• During treatment, exercise positively affected mood and well-being.
• Post-treatment side effects such as swelling, anxiety, depression, and fatigue were notably reduced.
